One of the biggest deals of the spring.
Mohamed Salah’s departure from Liverpool after the end of the current season seemed like a no-brainer. His contract had expired, and the Egyptian was already 32—it was time to choose a comfortable financial spot for himself and play his age, without a care in the world. Moreover, there were a shortage of options that Salah clearly wouldn’t have known about: from to Saudi Arabia. However, Mohamed chose to extend his contract with the Reds, which caused wild delight among the team’s fans. More recently, he made obvious hints of impending retirement, and the fans, in turn, threatened the club’s bosses, urging Salah to agree to contract terms he didn’t want. It’s hard to say who ultimately made the sacrifice. But the fact remains: Salah will continue to speak at Enfield.
Why did he stay?
The contract extension reflects several key moments. First, Salah hasn’t lost his thirst for trophies and competitive tournaments, which not only provides incredible excitement, but also the opportunity to be on the football scene, to be one of the world’s top stars. One could be offered a lot of money in Saudi Arabia.
Second, Mohamed has faith in Arne Sloan and realizes that the Reds can make even more progress with him, although it seemed that after Jurgen Klopp, that would be difficult to do. If Mohamed had even a few doubts, the following summer would seem like an ideal time to leave his status as a free agent, allowing him to move in any direction.
Third, Salah still feels the strength to remain competitive in a team expected to fight for victory in the Premier League and the Champions League. All of these signals are a positive moment for Liverpool fans, who seemed to have gotten their feet wet.
This isn’t to say that Salah simply accepted the decision. This can be seen at least from his actions and words. After all, Mohamed deliberately submitted the contract to the public plane when his journalists flew into Southampton. And this was only the third instance in seven and a half years where he stopped to speak with the paparazzi. The first occurred in April 2018, and the second—14 months later—following the Champions League final victory over Tottenham.
Fear the wrath of a silent person, they say. In this case, one could consider the fact of a public statement something extraordinary—a clear signal to promote negotiations. And this decision worked: the pressure on Liverpool’s management from fans, the press, and experts intensified – and so all these banners appeared. They were addressed not to Salah, but to the club’s bosses.
As for the relationship with the coach, Salah seems to be even more comfortable with the slot machine than with Klopp in recent months, working as a German specialist. You will recall the almost public feud during the game with West Ham, when the Egyptian didn’t play the entire match. After the match, he didn’t slow down near the journalists, but blurted out the words: “If I speak, the fire will start.” This clearly indicated the tension.
To some extent, Salah felt responsible for maintaining Liverpool’s status as a top club after the manager’s departure, during which, as everyone expected, that level had been reached. Mohamed became the link that connected Klopp and Liverpool, helping the latter make the transition as smooth and efficient as possible. His attitude toward the club isn’t that of a workplace, but rather that of a brainchild, which, including his original idea, will likely add to Salah’s status in the eyes of the football community.
Greatness in Numbers
Salah moved to Liverpool from Roma in 2017, continuing to search for his game. At Enfield, his “” … This magnificent run could have ended with a Champions League triumph, but Mohamed played in the final against Real Madrid for 31 minutes, injuring his shoulder after a collision with Sergio Ramos. Many Liverpool fans still painfully remember the episode that could have cost them the title.
But Salah managed to get his own back a year later, when his team beat Tottenham in the following final, and Mohamed himself scored a penalty. In the following campaign, Mohamed scored “only” 23 goals, which became his lowest single-season performance for Liverpool. However, the team won its first title in 30 years.
Salah currently has 243 goals in 394 appearances for Liverpool. This makes him the third-highest goalscorer for the “Reds” during the club’s entire history. During the current season, the Egyptian has surpassed Billy Liddell (228 goals) and Gordon Khojson (241 goals). He is second only to 1966 World Cup winner Roger Hunt (285 goals) and all-time record holder Ian Rush (346 goals). In addition, Salah has 184 Premier League goals, alongside Sergio Aguero. He has surpassed Thierry Henry (175 goals) and Frank Lampard (177 goals). Previously, he has been surpassed by Andrew Cole (187), Wayne Runi (208), Harry Kane (213), and Alan Shirer (260). If we’re talking about Liverpool, Salah is already their top scorer
English Premier League
with 182 goals in 281 games. Incidentally, he’s second only to the legendary Robbie Fowler with 128 goals in 266 league games. English Premier League The Egyptian has scored 103 goals, but there were plenty on the road – 79. Additionally, he became the first Liverpool player to reach 50 goals in Europe, a feat he achieved in the Champions League victory over Lille (2-1).
The contract extension will only continue Salah’s streak, cementing him as an even greater legend. He has already been inscribed in the history of “Liverpool.” And just when it seemed like it was coming to an end, the “writer” decided to extend the best-selling book for the new season. We’ll see. Salah
Salah
About the Author
