You’ll Be Replaced: Liverpool might reach a deal in January to give this player a free replacement.

Nico Williams, a winger for Athletic Club who might be available for free transfer, is being monitored by Liverpool.

Without investing a dime, Liverpool could replace Mohamed Salah with a long-term successor. Currently scheduled to be a free agent after the current season, Athletic Club striker Nico Williams can begin negotiations with overseas clubs in January about signing a pre-contract agreement.

The intriguing young winger, who is 21 years old and can play on either side, has earned 10 caps for Spain, including some during the World Cup in Qatar. And according to 90 minutes, he is being watched by a number of teams, including Arsenal, Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Aston Villa.

Athletic Club, a La Liga team, still expects the Basque-born footballer to pledge his future to them, but he is getting close to the time when he can start talking to foreign teams about leaving as a free agent in 2024.

Williams would be a desirable candidate for Liverpool if the San Mames contract dispute was not addressed. It would be quite the coup to sign a player of his caliber and potential, at his age, coupled with his alluring adaptability, without having to pay a transfer price.

the difficult Williams produced a nine-goal, six-assist performance last season from 43 appearances. This season, he has four La Liga assists in seven games. He is a right-footed player, which makes him different from Salah, a left-footed right winger, but he might succeed the Egyptian in that position.

With Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, and Darwin Nunez all capable of playing on the left, the Reds have several choices. On the right, there aren’t as many apparent long-term replacements for Salah, who is widely expected to depart Anfield at the conclusion of the season and move to the Middle East.

Even if he decides against it and opts to sign a new deal with Merseyside, Liverpool will still be making long-term plans to replace their leading goal scorer. After all, Salah will turn 32 in June. As a result, in a few years, it will be expected that his performances and productivity will diminish.