The Mohamed Salah signing saga could repeat itself for the 2021/22 season if Liverpool do not face a new reality after being promoted to the Saudi Arabian Pro League.
When Mohamed Salah scored his second goal of the season to put Liverpool 3-0 up against Aston Villa on Sunday, his celebrations seemed a little subdued.
Salah was a sign of professionalism throughout, faultless as usual in his performance levels and applications, but it was telling that there was no sign of that signature smile even when the goal-hungry Egyptian found the back of the net. It was, of course, his first appearance since Liverpool rejected a bid of $189m (£150m / €175m) from Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad on transfer deadline day.
The public investment fund-owned club have offered Salah a deal worth $1.9m (£1.5m / €1.8m) a week, which would see him earn around $99m a year. According to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs, he was told that his earnings could surpass Cristiano Ronaldo from Al-Nassri, the first superstar to move to Saudi Arabia, if he had alternative sources of income.
Saudi Arabia’s transfer window is open until Thursday and it’s possible another offer will arrive before then, although it would have to be truly exceptional to even be considered at this stage as Liverpool cannot buy a replacement.
Salah may not have an active desire to leave this window – team-mate Dominik Szoboszlai insisted on Sunday that “he wants to stay” and Jurgen Klopp says his star is “totally” invested in the Reds’ success. and did not show or express his displeasure (via The Athletic).
The 31-year-old’s agent, Ramy Abbas, tweeted earlier in the window that the player would not sign a new contract in 2022, which runs until 2025,
if he intended to leave. But even though it is barely a year after making the biggest signing in Liverpool’s history, who is worth $442,000 (£350,000 / €409,000) a week, there will soon be a point at which Liverpool will sign, possibly next summer at the latest. to decide your next step.
If it does not offer Salah a renewal, it could effectively opt for an exit in either 2024 or 2025, although saying goodbye on a free transfer could be seen as impossible given the potential sums of money involved. Much like PSG wanted to sell Kylian Mbappé this summer rather than lose him, the numbers may not translate into a transfer transfer.
Salah’s consistency has set him apart in recent years and he shows no signs of slowing down as he has equaled his Premier League record for goals or assists in his last 10 games. So there are many who oppose the possibility of selling, especially if there is no equivalent substitute product on the market.
However, we saw how hesitant Liverpool were last year, unwilling to initially break the wage structure of an incoming player in his 30s, and this signing saga could repeat itself, except this time with an even older asset who has been promised significant wealth. elsewhere.
Adhering to Salah’s current conditions may not be enough. Perhaps the club now have to go even bigger and break through again, because if nothing else, the rise of Saudi Arabia will lead to further increases in wage demands across Europe. In-demand players like Salah now have much more leverage in negotiations with their clubs.
There is no doubt that Liverpool could even remotely approach the Saudis’ package, but Salah could be looking for a further upgrade that would make him one of Europe’s highest earners. Based on his performance, not only now, but over the last six years, you can hardly envy him.
