Mohamed Salah’s contract situation at Liverpool seems to be nearing an end, but why have the club reportedly made a breakthrough in negotiations following a long period where it seemed inevitable that he would leave?Salah has been in amazing form under Arne Slot this season.
He has an astounding 15 goals and 12 assists for the Reds in all competitions and shows no sign of slowing down despite the fact he is now 32.Liverpool’s talisman has his side on track to win the Premier League for only the second time since 1990.
He’s already a legend but if he fires the club to another title he could arguably be considered the greatest to ever play at Anfield – and that’s before you consider Liverpool are also currently top of the Champions League and look likely to go far in Europe this season as well.
Salah’s performances have made the lack of a contract offer from Liverpool all the more bewildering.
The Egyptian has shown his frustration with the club on a number of occasions this year, most notably in his surprising post-match comments at Southampton.
Since then, Salah has played an impressive PR game to cement the idea – if it needed any confirmation – that Liverpool HAVE to renew his contract.
There were reports that PSG were preparing an offer which put extra pressure on Liverpool to come to the table, and subsequently confusion around a post on X from a former Egyptian footballer who seemed to hint that Salah had renewed his contract.In fact, we have seen a lot more of Salah in recent weeks than we are used to.
He conducted a post-match interview after being the architect of Pep Guardiola’s meltdown at Anfield and has used his social media to hammer home his commitment to the cause.And now, new reports have claimed that Liverpool and Salah are closer than ever to a new deal having made significant progress over terms in recent days.
Mo Salah agrees to sign new Liverpool contractAccording to the Mirror, Liverpool and Salah have reached an agreement on a new two-year deal which the Egyptian is on the brink of signing.Salah and his agent Ramy Abbas were initially holding out for a three-year contract, which would have seen him turn 36 by the end of his time at Anfield.
However, Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group have been reluctant to commit to a contract of that length for an older player, who may decline physically in the coming years.FSG are notoriously cautious and logical in their decision-making, with the long-term success of the club always at the forefront of their minds.
Reds fans have been angered in recent weeks, though, as FSG have been preparing to commit huge amounts of money to veteran baseball players during the off-season at Boston Red Sox.
For a long time, it has seemed almost inevitable that Salah would be plying his trade elsewhere next season, either in Saudi Arabia or at one of Europe’s biggest clubs, but this latest news shows that FSG have changed their minds in recent weeks.
The club rejected an enormous offer from Saudi Arabia in 2023, which would have solved many of their financial issues, so it’s clear they are aware of the importance of keeping him, both on the pitch and in keeping fans onside amid rising ticket prices.And with a deal reportedly close, it’s clear why they have changed their minds and are willing to offer Salah a longer contract despite their initial reluctance.
Salah is key to Liverpool’s short and long-term goalsAt Anfield Watch, we have been waxing lyrical about Salah’s performances this season, and for good reason. Like all Liverpool fans, we know that the side’s success – while not solely down to Salah – is dependent on his continued greatness.
Sadio Mane’s decline in Saudi Arabia after his departure does send some warning signs about what could happen with Salah, but the Egyptian has a much better injury record than Mane and seems in as good a condition as ever.It helps that it wasn’t until Salah was 23 at Roma that he started played every game each season.
Liverpool have benefitted from Chelsea’s poor management of Salah both in being able to sign him after he left the Blues but also in that he wasn’t run into the ground in his early 20s.We’ve seen in the past that players who make lots of appearances as teenagers often end up declining earlier than those who don’t – just look at how Michael Owen’s career panned out.
With Salah at the club, Liverpool are well-placed to continue their great form into the new year and hopefully beyond, into next season as well.Many pundits thought Jurgen Klopp’s departure would signal the beginning of a downturn in fortunes at Anfield, but if anything the opposite has been true so far.
While the club lost their talismanic manager, they still have Salah and Van Dijk, who are leaders on and off the pitch.That continuity is key to ensuring Liverpool maintain their position at the top of the table for years to come. If they were to lose Klopp one year, followed by Salah and Van Dijk the next, the foundations that Slot has built his success on this season may start to crumble.
That’s why FSG knew they had to come to terms on an agreement with Salah, and it looks like they may have done so now.Liverpool Mo Salah0Article Rating Subscribe LoginBe the First to Comment!0 Comments
