Cards stacked in ace Mo’s favour

TO lose one world-class gamechanger would be unfortunate, to lose two would be just downright careless.

Unlike Sadio Mane, Mohamed

Salah is probably not going to walk out of Anfield this summer. But hopes of the PFA Player of the Year signing a new contract any time soon seem to be slim and none.

Perhaps Salah will agree to an extension to a contract that expires at the end of next season.

Perhaps he loves it so much at Anfield that he will put pen to paper on a deal that keeps him on Merseyside for some years to come. But why on earth would he? If allowing a contract to run down to its expiry date is a gamble for a player of Salah’s ilk, it is an increasingly minimal one.

Well, how about the wage increase the player is missing out on during the months, possibly years, negotiations have been ongoing?

Irrelevant. You can rest assured any agent worth his salt will have that increase backdated from the moment talks started.

Well, how about if the player suffers a bad injury that would mean a reluctance of future employers to take him on?

A relevant point, but the bottom line is that footballing athletes such as Salah are a different breed from yesteryear.

Salah turned 30 a week ago but is 30 going on 25.

His fitness record is truly remarkable.

Since joining Liverpool on this day five years ago, Salah has been unavailable for selection on THREE occasions and one of them is when he tested positive for Covid.

There is still a wariness amongst some top clubs when it comes to giving players who are 30 or over long-term deals.

Surely, the evidence provided by the likes of Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo have trashed that idea.

Look at his fitness record, look at his statistics, look at the way Salah keeps himself in shape.

This is a guy who is going to be tormenting defences when he is closer to 40 than 30.

Rather than being seen as someone leaning into the final bend of his career, Salah still has the footballing world at his quick feet.

Jurgen Klopp must be a brilliant manager to play under, Liverpool is a wonderful club, the Premier League seems to be an enjoyable place in which to play.

But what if Mo wants a couple of years living in Barcelona? Or Madrid? Or even London?

And in the summer of 2023, he can go where he wants for, pretty much, as much as he wants.

Maybe Salah will surprise us all. Maybe he loves Liverpool and Klopp so much, he will soon commit his playing life to Anfield.

But don’t hold your breath.

When it comes to players holding contract aces, Mo Salah has got the full set.