Mohamed Salah is heading in the right direction for probably the most prolific season of his profession. It is honest to say he is made his level.
However, to the frustration of many Liverpool followers, contract talks between the membership and celebrity are stalling, thereby risking one of many biggest gamers within the Reds’ historical past leaving free of charge in June.
Here is why Liverpool ought to pay up, and a few the reason why they may be reluctant.
Salah’s case for a brand new deal
Salah has reached 30 purpose involvements (17 targets and 13 assists) sooner than any participant in Premier League historical past, serving to Liverpool construct a six-point cushion atop the desk. He is scored almost 40% of Liverpool’s league targets by way of 18 video games, and no one else on the staff has greater than 10 purpose involvements.
The persistent attacker’s two targets and 4 assists in six Champions League outings have additionally been key in lifting Liverpool into first place within the 36-team league section. Arne Slot’s Salah-powered facet hasn’t dropped a single level within the competitors.
And few would wager towards the Egyptian being decisive within the different two competitions on Liverpool’s radar. The League Cup semifinals and an FA Cup third-round match are scheduled early within the new yr.
One of many important hurdles to extending Salah’s keep is his age. However at 32, he is exhibiting few indicators of slowing down. In truth, this season he is making an attempt extra take-ons within the Premier League than final time period (3.52 makes an attempt per 90 minutes versus 2.46) and is proving extra evasive, too (a 50% success fee versus final season’s 35.1%). He is additionally carrying the ball upfield at an identical distance of simply over 90 yards per 90 minutes. He is on tempo to provide the very best statistical season of his profession.
The previous Roma winger takes his diet and health very severely and barely misses time by way of harm; he is by no means made fewer than 32 league appearances in a season for Liverpool.
Few gamers in world soccer can compete with Salah in productiveness, professionalism, conditioning, and, with an enormous world presence that features 63.9 million Instagram followers, marketability. Moreover, renewing his deal could be considerably cheaper than looking for a substitute within the switch marketplace for a participant who could, in truth, be irreplaceable.
He is additionally reportedly prepared to signal a one-year contract, which might defend Liverpool from any sudden regression within the Premier League icon’s abilities.
Why Liverpool may be reluctant
It is value reiterating the primary concern about Salah from Liverpool’s perspective: At the beginning of subsequent season, he’ll be 33.
Even Salah cannot escape Father Time, and the standout parts of his sport – like his acceleration and agility – will inevitably erode. Some gamers have managed to reinvent themselves within the autumn of their careers, maybe adopting new positions that lean on their creativity and mind reasonably than their bodily capabilities, however that’s removed from a assure. Most easily fade.
Issues about Salah’s workload aren’t new, both. He is competed in two midseason Africa Cup of Nations campaigns since he joined Liverpool, and on every event there was a notable post-tournament dip. Egypt’s travails appeared to take a bodily and psychological toll on its talisman.
Salah’s 2021-22 Premier League numbers
| Earlier than AFCON | Stat | After AFCON |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Video games | 15 |
| 16 | Objectives | 7 |
| 9 | Assists | 4 |
| 1.25 | GI* per sport | 0.73 |
*Purpose involvements
Salah’s 2023-24 Premier League numbers
| Earlier than AFCON | Stat | After AFCON |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Video games | 12 |
| 14 | Objectives | 4 |
| 8 | Assists | 2 |
| 1.1 | GI per sport | 0.5 |
Egypt will compete at AFCON in Morocco between December 2025 and January 2026. That is proper within the center – and in the course of the notoriously busy part – of the English calendar.
Liverpool’s wage invoice should even be a consideration. Salah is their highest-paid participant with a weekly earnings of £350,000, in accordance with Capology. Salah might demand an identical quantity given his phenomenal performances and the truth that Saudi Professional League golf equipment and a few heavy-spending European outfits like Paris Saint-Germain might provide him much more.
His wage represents an enormous chunk of Liverpool’s wage invoice, and the contract talks come at a nasty time for the membership, with offers for Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold – value a mixed £400,000 per week – additionally set to run out in June. Van Dijk, 33, finds himself in an identical state of affairs to Salah – he is producing a number of the finest type of his profession forward of what may very well be his final huge contract. In the meantime, 26-year-old Alexander-Arnold might demand an enormous increase that forces the membership to release funds elsewhere.
What might a future with out Salah appear to be? A splurge within the switch market could be anticipated, however there’s already loads of attacking expertise at Liverpool.
Diogo Jota, 28, is the oldest member of the frontline after Salah. Luis Diaz (27), Cody Gakpo (25), Darwin Nunez (25), and the group of midfielders who carry a purpose menace, like Dominik Szoboszlai (24) and Curtis Jones (23), are arguably but to hit the height of their powers. Harvey Elliott appeared prepared to achieve the following degree in his growth this season earlier than he was sidelined with a fractured foot in September, however the 21-year-old has time to appreciate his undoubted potential.
There are younger choices pushing for first-team consideration, too.
Ben Doak has been a revelation on a mortgage at Middlesbrough within the Championship; he may very well be fast-tracked into Slot’s squad. Jayden Danns and Lewis Koumas shone after they each scored in an FA Cup win over Southampton final season. United States youth worldwide Keyrol Figueroa – like Danns and Koumas, one other son of a former Premier League footballer – signed an expert contract final Could after scoring freely within the academy ranks.
Salah leaving would mark the tip of an period, however it might additionally herald the beginning of a really thrilling one.
