Liverpool are set for a busy summer with the futures of Sadio Mane and Mo Salah's future uncertain but replacements are potentially being lined up.

What's the word?

Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma has been fielding interest from Liverpool for a while now but now reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the news.

The Italian journalist was speaking on his Here We Go podcast on Monday (via Liverpool Echo), and said: "He did really great with Villarreal, he has a release clause in his contract it's around €45m (£38m), maybe a bit more, and so could be an opportunity in the market.

“Liverpool have been following him since January, let's see if they will jump into it."

The new Benzema

When Liverpool took on Real Madrid in the Champions League final a few weeks ago there would have been dread about facing Karim Benzema.

[snack-amp-story url="https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano" title= "Read the latest Liverpool news!"]

The Frenchman didn't score on the night as Madrid took home the crown but the concerns were hardly surprising considering the centre-forward bagged 44 goals in 46 matches this term.

That goal tally is rather obscene and considering Danjuma scored 16 times in comparison, it looks hard to make any sort of comparison on the surface.

Of course, the Netherlands international is capable of finding the net but not nearly as much regularity as the Madrid star.

That said, the 25-year-old is similar in many ways. Indeed, FB Ref's 'similar' players model lists the duo as like-minded footballers and a delve into the stats shows you why.

Danjuma had 1.52 shots on target per 90 minutes compared to Benzema's 1.63. Furthermore, they both fire their attempts at goal from a similar distance, with the former registering an average yardage of 14.7 compared to the latter's 15.5 yards.

When it comes to progressive carries in possession, there isn't much between them either, that's despite Danjuma's pace and tricky nature. The Dutchman makes an average of 5.79 per 90 in comparison to the former Lyon forward's 6.32.

It's rather evident that Benzema is the more clinical in front of goal but their style of play when it comes to both shooting and carries shows there is plenty to like, especially with the ex-Bournemouth man dubbed a "nightmare" by Kevin Phillips.

Danjuma is still very much finding himself as a footballer and despite not being the finished article would be a superb addition to Liverpool's ranks.

AND in other news, Liverpool now in talks to sign "magic" £68.3m "weapon", he's Luis Diaz 2.0...