Jamie Carragher tells Liverpool they already have their "special" Mo Salah heir

Jamie Carragher claims Liverpool wonderkid Harvey Elliott could prove to be the "ready-made replacement" to succeed Mohamed Salah in attack.

Elliott, 18, returned from five months out with a dislocated ankle at the start of February and scored his first senior goal in the FA Cup victory over Cardiff.

He has since returned to action in the Premier League, giving Jurgen Klopp another option on the right wing to ease the burden on Salah.

The Egyptian has been the best player in England this season, scoring 23 goals and registering nine assists in all competitions ahead of Wednesday night's Champions League clash with Inter Milan.

Salah has shone for Liverpool even as speculation about his future escalates with less than 18 months remaining on his contract.

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Anfield chiefs are reluctant to hand a player turning 30 in June a lucrative long-term deal and there has been little progress in extension talks as a result.

Whether Salah signs a new deal or leaves for pastures new, replacing him is a grim reality Liverpool will need to face sooner or later.

But Carragher believes this many be a simpler task than many fear, declaring Elliott has the "special" ability to inherit the right-wing berth from his senior teammate.

"You have someone really special here, maybe in terms of Mo Salah's replacement, if that's the position he plays in," the Liverpool legend told GOAL.

"Mo Salah is getting to 30 now and we're all desperate for him to sign a contract, but whenever Mo Salah goes, maybe you've got your ready-made replacement.

"Maybe not the same type of player, but a guy that plays on the right and comes in on that left foot.

"Maybe he'll be more creative or maybe he'll get less goals, who knows, but he's definitely a special player and, in the next 18 months, he'll (manager Jurgen Klopp will) have to find a position for him in the team because players of that quality have to play."

Carragher also compared Elliott to a number of former Liverpool starlets who took Merseyside by storm after bursting onto the scene.

He added: "You think of how young he (Elliott) is and you think of the players we have had at that age that were really special: Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Raheem Sterling, you've seen Trent (Alexander-Arnold) come through at that age. Sometimes you see someone that's just special."

Elliott will hope to make his European debut as Liverpool take on Serie A champions Inter at the famous San Siro.