Mohamed Salah is poised to finally sign on the dotted line to seal his new contract, much to the relief of Jurgen Klopp. And with his significant decision, the Liverpool star has proved that he remains as hungry as ever to contribute to their success.
The issue of his new contract has left a dark cloud surrounding his future this season, with Salah’s current deal set to expire in 2023. But Mirror Football understands an agreement is close after the parties reached a breakthrough in negotiations this week.
Salah initially rejected new terms which would have seen him earning £400,000 a week, leaving Liverpool’s owners fearing that he would allow his current contract to run down and depart as a free agent in the summer of 2023. European clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Barcelona have all shown an interest in Salah in the past and would surely jump at the chance to snap him up.
For Klopp, getting Salah to commit his future would not only provide a huge boost to his squad’s morale but also his plans to add more silverware in the future. When he first signed the Egyptian star from Roma for £38m back in 2017, the German coach had outlined how crucial it would be for Salah to show his hunger for success.
“Most important though, for us, is that he is hungry, willing and eager to be even better and improve further,” he said. “He believes in what we are trying to do here at Liverpool and is extremely keen to be part of it. “He is very excited about performing for our wonderful supporters. He is an ambitious player who wants to win and win at the highest level; he knows he can fulfil those ambitions with Liverpool.”
In his five seasons at Anfield, Salah has won an array of honours both collectively and individually. He was crucial to ending the club’s 30-year wait for a domestic triumph, clinching the 2019-20 title during the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The year prior to that, Liverpool added a sixth European Cup after beating Tottenham in Madrid, and Salah was recognised by finishing fourth in the Ballon d’Or.
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Salah has often hinted at the prospect of taking on a new challenge, with Spain believed to have been his preferred destination. But while La Liga was perhaps superior to the Premier League when he first joined Liverpool, both Real Madrid and Barcelona have experienced a small decline since — leaving the Reds and Manchester City as to battle it out as Europe’s top outfits.
What’s more, his desire to more success as Klopp desired has not wavered. Perhaps spurred on by his disappointment on the international scene after Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations final defeat, Salah looks hungrier than ever to add more silverware to his sparkling cabinet.
The 29-year-old has been in scintillating form for the Reds once again this campaign, leading the Premier League’s goalscoring charts with 20 goals in 29 appearances. He has also added a further eight in the Champions League, as well as laying on 11 assists for his team-mates in all competitions.
Salah remains a crucial member of Klopp’s side and has only missed two league matches this season due to his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. Even with the next generation of Liverpool’s attack — Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota — demonstrating their talents, they will only improve by playing alongside Salah.
Liverpool have gone above and beyond their usual means to ensure Salah, a fans’ favourite who is admired by his fellow professionals too, will continue wearing the famous red shirt. Some may question whether breaking the bank to tie down a player who will turn 30 in June is a sensible financial decision.
But Salah has shown no signs of decline — if anything he is becoming more of a finely tuned footballer. And if securing his future means keeping Liverpool near the top of domestic and European football for the next few years, Klopp will no doubt feel he is validated in pushing for his renewal.
