SALAH PUTS SMILES ON RED FACES
Mo’s deal turns anger into joy
IF ANYTHING summed up the emotion surrounding Mo Salah’s contract negotiations it came minutes before the announcement of his commitment to Liverpool.
His agent Ramy Abbas Issa posted a laughing emoji on social media, which induced fury from some Reds fans. Chief among them was former Anfield star Jamie Carragher, the TV pundit suggesting supporters could “do without this cryptic c**p”.
But the emoji was a hint of joy not frustration, with Issa instrumental in negotiations which somehow found a compromise when there was a massive discrepancy in the positions of both sides.
Salah is believed to have been looking for a similar salary to Kevin
De Bruyne at Manchester City, while Liverpool did not want to pay more than previous top earner Virgil van Dijk.
Yet, as manager Jurgen Klopp explained, there was a need on both sides to find a way. “It is the best decision for us and for him,” he said.
For all Liverpool’s pragmatism – shown by Sadio Mane’s departure – they could not afford to lose Salah.
Exchanging Mane for a striker of rich promise in Darwin Nunez is one thing, but it is another matter altogether replacing Salah, the equal of any forward in world football over the past five years.
Salah has already broken eight Premier League records. He is Liverpool’s ninth highest goalscorer of all time, with 156 goals and 63 assists in 254 games.
Klopp said. “I have no doubt Mo’s best years are to come. And that’s saying something. He’s a machine – in the most incredible shape. His ability and skill level get higher each season and his decision-making has gone to another level also.
“As coaches, we know we work with someone special. And the supporters have crowned him a king. So, very cool. It is just great news.”
Analytics show Salah can maintain his fitness, pace and finishing well into his 30s.
The Egyptian King said: “Everybody now starts to reach their peak after 30 or something. I am so excited for the next years.
“You can see in the last five or six years the team were always going [upwards]. Last season we were close to winning four trophies.
“We are in position to fight for everything.We need to keep working hard, have a good vision, be positive and go for everything again.”