Salah deal’s shaping up
STEPHEN WARNOCK has no doubt that Liverpool will successfully tie down ‘global icon’ Mohamed Salah to a new contract. The Egyptian, who has scored 22 goals in 24 outings so far this season, is in discussions over an extension to a deal that has just 18 months remaining.
And former Reds defender Warnock is convinced that the club will do everything they can to keep their star man
– as
much for his value off the pitch as on it.
Warnock (below) said:
“From Liverpool’s point of view, the contract doesn’t just come down to what he’s producing on the pitch, you have to think of what he brings in revenue-wise.
“People come to Anfield to watch him, he sells shirts around the world, he’s a global icon.that plays a part and I think Liverpool know there’s that side of it as well.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that he will sign a new contract.”
Negotiations over an extension are somewhat complicated by the fact that
Salah will have turned 35 by the time he reaches the end of any five-year deal he signs. However,
Warnock is adamant that the prolific forward will be able to sustain his typically remarkable goal return into the latter stages of his career.
He added: “You have to look at his age but, now, the way players are looked after, the way they look after themselves, the facilities, you’re seeing the longevity increasing.
“You used to find players would get to 31 or 32 and would have to drop down the leagues but you’re not seeing that now, players are able to compete at the highest level for longer.
“With Salah, you only have to look at the condition he’s in to know he’s a very professional guy who looks after himself.
“I think he will play at the top level for a long, long time because he’s got that burst of pace. But he’s also got more to his game than that – the low centre of gravity, the swerve, the movement.”
Salah’s goals have helped Liverpool confound the pessimistic pre-season predictions that followed what was a quiet summer transfer window.
And, while Warnock accepts that his former club will have to rejuvenate their squad at some point, he believes they have the tools to stick with Manchester
City in the title race.
He added: “When you look at the business that other clubs did, I think a lot of people wrote Liverpool off and said they wouldn’t be strong enough.
“But it’s been anything but that, they’ve been really good.they’ve looked organised again, a threat up front and their end-of-season form
has carried into this season.
“I think it will still be them and City towards the end of the season fighting it out for the title.
“My only concern is the age of the squad now.
“But it’s all about the here and now, and Jurgen Klopp knows that his squad is good enough to compete.”
One thing that could derail any Reds title charge is a Covid outbreak which has laid waste to the Christmas fixture list.
Warnock added: “All squads are going to miss players at certain times, the big thing is who do you play when you’ve got those players out?”