Mo Salah has made no secret of his desire for Liverpool to hand him a contract extension at Anfield, but his wishes have thus far fallen on deaf ears within the club’s hierarchy.
The Egyptian told reporters last week that, just seven months out from the end of his existing deal, he’s yet to be offered new terms on Merseyside; and he made the worrying claim after yesterday’s win over Manchester City that it could be his last time facing Pep Guardiola’s side with the Reds.
The 32-year-old is currently the highest-earning player in L4, with Capology citing his weekly wage at £350,000.
On Monday afternoon, The Athletic‘s Simon Hughes reported on Salah’s current stance on what’s becoming an increasingly tetchy off-field saga.
The reliable journalist claimed that Liverpool’s number 11 would readily sign a one-year contract extension to keep him at the club until June 2026, when he’ll be 34 years of age, but he’s ‘growing increasingly exasperated’ at how Anfield chiefs have handled the negotiations thus far.
Although talks are continuing apace in the background, he’s been left frustrated at how slowly the matter is proceeding and isn’t convinced that FSG will satisfy his contractual expectations.
Salah is still waiting for LFC to make known their position as to the length and terms of a potential new deal, with just 30 days remaining until prospective suitors from outside England would be free to approach him about a possible pre-contract agreement for next summer.
His priority is to remain at Liverpool, amid a belief that he’s among the best footballers in the world and should have that status reflected in any new contract offered to him on Merseyside. He’s also confident that his age wouldn’t be an obstacle to achieving his personal ambition to win the Ballon d’Or.
If given a choice between Salah staying at Anfield for one more full season or departing on a free transfer next summer, it’s safe to assume that every Reds fan would choose the former.
The player’s evident desire to remain at the club is the most encouraging factor amid the ongoing contract impasse, although his increasing frustrations over how long it’s taking for the matter to be resolved are a cause for concern.
Hughes referenced a very interesting point within his article, namely that until Rodri won the Ballon d’Or a few weeks ago, it hadn’t been awarded to a player under the age of 31 since 2015, which supports the Egyptian’s apparent belief that it’s not too late for him to scoop the prize.
A return of 13 goals and 11 assists in 20 games already this season shows that, far from being on the wane, Salah is proving to be more important than ever at Liverpool.
Yes, he’s on big wages and is at an age where footballers often tend to start declining, but anyone who’s watched the Reds over the past few years won’t need any persuading about what a phenomenon he is.
We can fully understand why he’s been left irked by FSG’s handling of the matter, but right now we’d settle for the Egyptian King penning a one-year extension, especially if it means that he doesn’t slip away on a free transfer in seven months’ time.
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