Liverpool are set to lose one of their most valuable assets this summer with Sadio Mane expected to leave the club amid potential transfer interest from Bayern Munich.
The 30-year-old has been a revelation since joining the Reds for £34million in 2016, scoring 120 goals in 269 appearances in the process. He has helped Liverpool win the Champions League, the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup across his six-year spell at the club.
However, it is understood Mane is searching for a new challenge and has been linked with a move to Bayern, Real Madrid and Juventus in the transfer window. The Senegal international has one year left on his contract and Fabrizio Romano reported that he has already decided to leave the Reds.
So, with that in mind, here is a look at Liverpool's forward options next season and what Jurgen Klopp might do with Mane set to depart Anfield.
Signing a replacement
A number of players have already been tipped with a move to Liverpool following Mane's potential departure, including the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Jarrod Bowen and Arnaut Danjuma. They are all names which have previously been linked with the Reds in the past but the rumours could now be strengthened with Liverpool one player light in the attacking department.
Dembele could be set to leave Barcelona this summer after struggling for regular game time in Xavi Hernandez's side of recent late. But he is naturally a right-sided winger, and with Mohamed Salah confirming he will be at the club next term, it is likely Liverpool may pursue someone centrally or on the left. The same can be applied to Jarrod Bowen, who has a similar style to the Egyptian.
Another route the Reds could go down is by signing a natural No.9, now that they have got Luis Diaz who has made the left-wing birth his own since signing from Benfica. Darwin Nunez could be available and he has been backed to move to the Premier League, with Arsenal and Manchester United also interested.
Promote from within
Liverpool have been blessed with bringing through some of the best young players in the country within the past couple of decades. Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Trent Alexander-Arnold are the amongst the many talents to be promoted from the Reds academy and into the first-team.
Kaide Gordon could be the next star to be given a chance at Anfield having already impressed in the Carabao Cup last season. The 17-year-old played 90 minutes in the Reds' 3-0 win over Norwich City last September and made a further three senior appearances, including one in the Premier League.
They have also just signed Fulham starlet Fabio Carvalho who can play in a front-three. Although he has often been deployed in a No.10 role, the Portugal Under 21 international is able to fill in on the left and as a 'false No.9'. There is no doubt Klopp has plenty of younger options to call upon, with Bobby Clark and Fidel O'Rourke also pushing for a senior call-up.
Put faith in long-term plan
Klopp has always said how Takumi Minamino can be the future for Liverpool and he could now be given extra chances to impress if the German boss decides to put faith in the forward. The 27-year-old has scored 10 times in 24 appearances this season - including the equaliser in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Leicester City.
It is safe to say Minamino has not let Liverpool down when called upon, but he has always been below the likes of Diogo Jota, Salah, Mane and Diaz in the pecking order. With Divock Origi also leaving when his contract expires at the end of June, Minamino could be handed more opportunities and many would argue he deserves them.
Bide his time
Instead of signing players, Klopp could decide to stick with his current options for the forthcoming season. The Liverpool manager is not one to make rash transfer decisions and has often gone more than one transfer window without signing an attacker. Following Salah's move in summer 2017, Liverpool went almost three seasons until bringing a senior forward into the club as Minamino arrived from RB Salzburg.
Roberto Firmino and Salah are out of contract next summer, so Klopp might prefer to wait until he is certain on a target or wait to see what happens with those two. Salah has hinted he might seek a new adventure with Real Madrid linked, while Firmino has struggled for minutes and is unlikely to be offered a new deal.
