Mohamed Salah has been regarded as one of the best players in the Premier League for many years.
Ever since smashing the record for goals in a 38-game Premier League season by netting 32 in his debut term with Liverpool, the forward has proved unstoppable for top-flight defences.
Any suspicions of Salah's record-breaking campaign being a fluke were dispelled long ago, with the Egyptian averaging over 20 goals per Premier League season since then.
His recent form is sure to be alarming Liverpool's rivals too, with Salah scoring five times in six league games this season and adding further three goals in two Champions League fixtures.
The 29-year-old's latest contributions came on Tuesday night as he grabbed a double in a 5-1 thrashing of Porto at the Estadio do Dragao.
Salah's ability to sustain a prolific rate of return has undoubtedly thrust him into the conversation for being one of Europe's greatest players.
In fact, his brace in Portugal saw him pull clear of Messi for Champions League goals since September 2017 - and there are only two players who can better his tally since then.
Salah's European record
When Liverpool signed Salah from Roma for £34million in 2017, few could have predicted what would happen next.
A player who never found his feet at Chelsea returned to the Premier League to plunder 32 goals while also scoring 11 times in 15 Champions League games - one goal and two of these appearances coming in qualifying - as the Reds reached the final that season.
There was no fairytale ending to an otherwise magical debut campaign, however, as Salah limped off with a shoulder injury in Kiev after Sergio Ramos' tackle in the first half.
But just as great players do, Salah bounced back emphatically in the 2018/19 season, scoring five goals and registering two assists as Liverpool went one better than the previous year.
He showed ice-cold nerves to score an early penalty in the final against Tottenham Hotspur which sent Jurgen Klopp's side on their way to European glory.
Since then, Liverpool have underperformed on the continental stage, but Salah maintained an extraordinary output of 10 goals in 18 games over the last two campaigns.
A further three goals in the competition this season means Salah's Champions League tally for Liverpool, excluding qualifying rounds, is 28 goals since the 2017/18 campaign.
Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi has managed 27 goals in that time, while only Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo can better Salah's tally.
Most Champions League goals since start of 2017/18 season (excluding qualifying)
- Robert Lewandowski: 35
- Cristiano Ronaldo: 30
- Mohamed Salah: 28
- Lionel Messi: 27
How does he compare to rivals domestically?
While the Champions League is of course the pinnacle of the European game, it is important to see how Salah compares to Europe's other elite stars domestically to see whether he warrants a spot among the continent's top handful of players.
As the figures below show, the Egyptian is some way behind the likes of Lewandowski and Messi, but it is important to remember the increased quality of opposition in the Premier League compared to other divisions.
Also of note is the fact Salah has shared talismanic status at Liverpool with Sadio Mane for many seasons, although this has perhaps changed with the latter's dip in form over the last year.
In contrast, Lewandowski is Bayern Munich's focal point and Ronaldo was Juventus ' until returning to Manchester United this summer.
Messi, meanwhile, was handed a free role at Barcelona to impact the game at his leisure, whereas Klopp demands Salah aids right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold when required to do so.
Assist statistics further back up Salah's claim to being one of the best players in Europe, as his wide role means he can be far more of a creative force than centre-forwards Ronaldo and Lewandowski.
Most league goals (assists) since start of 2017/18 season
Robert Lewandowski: 133 (23)
Lionel Messi: 125 (61)
Cristiano Ronaldo: 110 (22)
Mohamed Salah: 100 (38)
What next?
Despite his steady supply of goals and assists which is second to only a handful of players in Europe, Salah's future at Anfield is uncertain.
He has less than two years remaining on his contract with Liverpool and there have been murmurs he would favour a move to Spain in what could prove to be the final big transfer of his career.
Reports over the summer suggested Liverpool would need to tear up their wage structure and hand Salah a £500,000-per-week deal to convince him to stay on Merseyside.
Club and player are certainly reaching a critical point: Reds chiefs will be desperate to resolve the situation before next summer, while Salah must decide what he would like his legacy with the club to be.
Compared to his elite European rivals, Salah has age on his side and does not turn 30 for another nine months.
But with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe developing at a frightening rate, the Egyptian may have only a small window to cement his place as one of the continent's greats as Ronaldo, Messi and Lewandowski wane.
Liverpool must also play their part if Salah is to stay, recognising they have a generational talent on their hands who they would struggle to replace should contract negotiations bear no fruit.
