adminOne of the most talked about players in world football right now is Liverpool’s Mo Salah. The Egypt captain is in superb form once again, but it’s not what he’s doing on the pitch that’s creating headlines; it’s what’s happening off the pitch. After penning a contract extension in 2022, his current deal runs until the summer, and as yet, there’s no agreement in place to extend it beyond then.
Liverpool are going great guns under Arne Slot. They’re comfortably top of the Premier League, and suggests no team will stop them from winning their second title in the Premier League era. Holding a significant points advantage over second-place Arsenal, the Reds could win the league at a canter. And Salah is a major part of how well Liverpool are doing.
Salah, 32, has, at the time of writing, scored 23 goals in 25 games and provided 14 assists. They’re some of the best numbers the right-sided forward has delivered, and without his contributions, Liverpool wouldn’t be where they are. Slot’s team are also through to the Carabao Cup final and they’re doing well in the , too. It could be a trophy-laden season for all concerned.
Salah, who has repeatedly been linked with a move away from Anfield in recent times, with Saudi Pro League clubs reportedly willing to break the bank to acquire his services, is at the very top of his game, even at the age of thirty-two. He’s considered one of the best players in the world, and if he doesn’t remain with Liverpool for the final stages of his career, it wouldn’t only be a bitter blow to them, but he’d find himself a new home quite comfortably.
At present, Salah is irreplaceable and any player brought in to replace him wouldn’t be able to have the same impact, and this would undoubtedly be a problem for Liverpool and Slot. This makes it imperative that a new deal is offered and Salah’s future is sorted before the end of the season. Otherwise, they could see one of their depart as a free agent and lose his goals, assists, and influence.
It should never be a case of paying a player whatever they ask for, as a club has to operate within their means. However, Salah’s goals and assists more than prove his worth, and he’s within his rights to ask for a bumper deal if he’s to continue plying his trade at Anfield for the next couple of seasons at least.
At the same time, Liverpool must continue to plan for life after Salah and decide who will be his long-term successor. Ben Doak is one option, with the young star showing he’s got a high ceiling on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship. But he remains some way off from being able to have the same kind of impact that Salah continues to have.
Online Reporter