Mohamed Salah’s contract had to be the exception to the rule for Liverpool and FSG | OneFootball

The will he, won’t he saga is over.

Sat on a throne on the centre of the Anfield pitch, it was announced Liverpool’s Egyptian King has put pen to paper on a new contract.

Mohamed Salah’s situation has been an unwelcome distraction to what looks likely to be a season of celebration for Liverpool. Now, the uncertainty is gone and Salah will stay on Merseyside until 2027 at least.

Liverpool’s ownership have taken their fair share of criticism this season for allowing the Reds to head towards the end of the campaign in a vulnerable position.

Three key figures and pillars of the club’s modern success had all been allowed to enter the final season of their deals. Salah’s signature is now secured and that of Virgil van Dijk is expected to follow imminently. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future is looking increasingly likely to be away from Anfield.

Alexander-Arnold’s case is unique in that the 26-year-old is at the peak of his career. His best seasons might yet be spent in Spain, though there’s little Liverpool can do if the player’s head has been turned by a new challenge and the bright lights of the Bernabeu.

For Salah and Van Dijk, neither player had expressed interest to leave. The question marks came around age, demands, and longevity. Like many owners, Fenway Sports Group have been reluctant to hand out lucrative long deals to ageing assets.

As a rule, it makes sense. The risk of being obligated to pay top-tier wages to a declining player is one that must be considered. But with every rule, exceptions must be made and, arguably, Salah is the clearest example of that.

At 32, Salah is producing the best football of his career. He leads the Premier League for goals and assists and has recorded 54 goal involvements in 45 appearances this season. Prior to Liverpool’s Champions League exit, he was the clear favourite for the Ballon d’Or.

Salah will celebrate his 33rd birthday this summer but is the ultimate professional. Several shirtless celebrations are evidence of his unrelenting desire to be – and stay – at the top of his game.

His game has evolved, too. A goalscoring phenomenon from his debut season at Liverpool, he’s now an assist machine to boot. His 17 this season are just three short of the single-season Premier League record and the highest return of his career to date.

Replacing Salah appeared an impossible task, before cost is even factored. In the ever-inflating world of transfer fees, Liverpool would be forced to dig deep into their pockets for a player who could come close to replicating his returns.

If Salah’s two-year extension retains his £350,000-a-week salary, it equates to £36.4m. Last summer, Premier League clubs spent similar figures on Emile Smith Rowe (£34m) and Yankuba Minteh (£35m). Chelsea, meanwhile, spent around £54m on Pedro Neto, who has returned seven goals and assists this season. For context, that’s 15.9% of what Salah has produced this season. None of those fees include salaries.

Even if Salah was to endure a steep decline next season, a 50% decrease on this season’s numbers would equate to 22 league goals and assists. Only Alexander Isak (24) and Erling Haaland (23) have managed more than that in the Premier League this season. Teammate Luis Diaz has 15 goal contributions in the league and Cody Gakpo just 11. Salah’s numbers are so high that there’s room for a potential dip, without fear of being burdened with an under-performing and expensively-paid asset.

These are just the tangibles. The standards he sets in the dressing room and his example to follow are not able to be weighed up in data and spreadsheets – but could be equally important.

The Arne Slot era has started better than almost anyone expected and the Dutchman will be delighted to have secured Salah for the next stage of the journey.

FSG, meanwhile, have rebuilt Liverpool with calculated and occasionally cold decision-making. Swaying from the template is not something that comes naturally to the American ownership but it makes perfect sense here. An exceptional talent, rightfully, been an exception to the rule.

Read – Liverpool announce Mohamed Salah contract extension

See more – Five of the best loan signings in Europe in 2024/25

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