Liverpool are among the suitors for one of Europe's most prodigious talents in Fenerbahce star Arda Guler, who has blitzed into prominence after a remarkable breakout campaign in his homeland.
What's the latest on Arda Guler to Liverpool?
That's according to a report from TEAMtalk that underscores the Yellow Canaries' desire to retain the services of their starlet for at least one more year, tieing him down to a new deal that will allow a more lucrative future sale.
Guler has a €17.5m (£15m) release clause in his contract, which is an attractive element to consider given that Liverpool are looking to complete astute deals on the market, having already tied up Alexis Mac Allister for a bargain £35m.
Jurgen Klopp's Reds are joined by Arsenal, Bayern, Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain in their interest in the fleet-footed phenom.
How good is Arda Guler?
Hailed as a "magician with a wand of a left foot" by one European scout, Guler is one of the most exciting players on the scene right now, boasting a wealth of skills that tantalise a career at the very forefront of the game over the next footballing era.
Despite his youthful age and inexperience, he produced displays of exceptional quality in the Turkish Super Lig this year, earning a stunning average Sofascore rating of 7.48 after starting just 11 matches, scoring four goals, supplying three assists, completing 85% of his passes and averaging two key passes per game from the offensive right flank.
Given the "serious talent" – as he has been described by Duncan Castles – possesses an innate cutting edge and tendency to drift inwards and wreak havoc from the box, he could be viewed as the dream heir to Mohamed Salah's pre-eminent role at Anfield, with the Egyptian sensation registering 265 direct goal contributions from 305 appearances since signing from Roma for £34m in 2017.
Liverpool fell by the wayside this term but it mattered not to the £350k-per-week forward's individual success, posting 30 goals and 16 assists from 50 appearances – with a return to fluidity when football resumes, there is no telling how destructive Salah's displays might be.
Technically a winger but reaping the fruits of his labour through his remarkable ability to cut inside, Salah ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 13% for assists and the top 1% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref, heralded as "lightning" by Reds historian Carl Clemente.
With Guler boasting a similar skill set and with Andrea Pirlo saying there is "no limit to his potential", securing his services as Salah's understudy before nurturing him to a starring role in the Merseyside giants' system could be the perfect way to ensure the club remain in contention for the biggest honours on offer for a lasting period.