Complications surrounding Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool contract negotiations went into overdrive after the Egyptian’s controversial comments following Sunday’s win over Southampton
Complications surrounding Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool contract negotiations went into overdrive after the Egyptian’s controversial comments following Sunday’s win over Southampton Complications surrounding Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool contract negotiations went into overdrive after the Egyptian’s controversial comments following Sunday’s win over Southampton
At Anfield, few names carry as much weight as Mohamed Salah’s.
The Egyptian King has been Liverpool’s talisman, rewriting records and lifting silverware since his arrival in 2017. Yet, as he enters the twilight of his prime, a storm, that’s been brewing for a couple of years now, threatens to suck the club into a violent vortex and tear at both heart and purse strings alike.
Throwing caution to the increasingly-turbulent wind, Salah – whose Anfield deal is still set to expire at the end of the season – stoked the flames of his ongoing contract stand-off by informing reporters that he hadn’t received an offer from the club and was “more out than in” following Liverpool’s 3-2 win over Southampton on Sunday.
It’s an obvious ploy – given he has only ever stopped in the mixed zone post-match to speak to journalists a small handful of times in his Liverpool career – designed to both force Liverpool’s hand and curry favour with supporters. But it’s also one that could backfire catastrophically.
While the specifics of Salah’s demands aren’t public, it’s felt that Liverpool are – rather understandably – reluctant to hand another gargantuan, multi-year deal to a man who turns 33 in June. Salah reportedly earns £350,000-a-week on Merseyside, and, according to the BBC, he’s the eighth-highest-paid footballer on the planet.
Given the form he’s in, few could blame Salah for attempting – presumably – to preserve the status quo. Yet, in doing so, he risks jeopardising what has been, up until now, an ironclad bond with the Liverpool faithful. He’s also risking backing the club into a corner, which, given the financial constraints of modern football, isn’t exactly the safest of moves.
Then there’s Arne Slot, who insists he wants Salah to stay. But the Reds manager could be forced to re-think his position if the situation descends, as it’s threatening to, into chaos. On top of that, the club’s hierarchy will ultimately be the ones to make the final call on Salah’s future, taking it out of Slot’s hands to a degree. And if the saga drags on into the new year, there’s every chance it could disrupt – or even derail – Liverpool’s Premier League title charge, which strengthens with every passing week and Manchester City defeat.
Losing Salah – especially for nothing – would be one heck of a gut-punch, not least given the club’s over-reliance on the forward for goals and attacking impetus (particularly since Sadio Mane’s departure). But tying him down to a new deal could present problems too.
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Giving in to Salah’s financial demands could handcuff the club, limiting their ability not only to squad-build but also to source Salah’s eventual replacement. They’ll also be keen to avoid the sort of situation Arsenal faced with Mesut Ozil – paying astronomical wages to an ageing, diminishing star who offers no resale value (though it must be said, Salah doesn’t appear particularly aged or diminished at the moment).
With player, club, manager and supporters all hoping that Salah’s contract, in one form or another, gets extended, you’d have to imagine that collective desire will push things toward a positive resolution. But in the meantime, there’s a tug-of-war between loyalty to a legend and long-term sustainability to be had.
Both Liverpool and Salah must now decide where their priorities lie, before the other, or the swift passage of time, decides for them. Tick tock.
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