The ongoing uncertainty about Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool has not a had a damaging impact on his performances for the club.
Salah has bagged 30 goals and 22 assists in 39 appearances in all competitions this season – numbers which hammer home his importance to Liverpool. Despite this, the club have yet to agree a new deal with the 32-year-old, sparking fears that he could walk away from Anfield this summer.
Plenty of top European clubs would be eager to sign Salah on a free transfer, while a move to the Saudi Pro League (SPL) cannot be ruled out. Given Salah’s iconic status with fans in the Middle East and North Africa, a move to the SPL could be a game-changer for the football in the region.
The influx of top stars from European leagues has already increased interest in the SPL, particularly amongst people who enjoy wagering on football. The sportsbooks featured on comparison platform www.arabswin.com have garnered more Arab players on the back of the SPL’s increased exposure.
The arrival of top stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema raised the profile of the SPL and made it far more appealing to sports bettors. However, if Salah signed for an SPL team this summer, it would fire the competition into a completely different stratosphere.
Although Salah will celebrate his 33rd birthday in June, he has shown no signs of slowing down and remains in peak physical condition. While there is no guarantee he will not suffer a sudden dip – which can happen to a player in their thirties – there is a suspicion that Salah won’t suffer this fate.
Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer believes Salah remains in his prime and has urged Liverpool to do what it takes to retain his services. “I think without a doubt that this is the best version of Salah we have seen," Shearer said. "I said earlier in the season that we should see what happens in terms of a one percent drop in his levels due to his contract situation.
“But that hasn't happened - on the contrary he seems to be getting even better and stronger as the season goes on. There's still no word on his contract situation, but I'd be amazed if Liverpool don't sort something out to keep him at least for another year or two.
“Losing Salah would be huge for Liverpool and the Premier League, because he is an iconic player.”
Liverpool’s apparent reluctance to award a bumper contract to Salah is rooted in the traditional belief that clubs must be prudent with what they offer to older players.
While that argument has plenty of merit, the evidence from Salah’s career suggests he is an exception and will keep performing at the same level for the next few years. He is on course to beat his personal best tally of 32 league goals (2017/18) and could challenge Erling Braut Haaland’s record of 36 goals in a season (2022/23).
Liverpool have plenty of favourable fixtures between now and the end of the season, and Salah could feasibly come close to establishing a new Premier League record. Perhaps more importantly, Salah’s ability to create opportunities for his teammates is the statistic which makes him indispensable to Liverpool.
The Egyptian international has refined his game in recent years, and is now a more rounded forward than was previously the case. He has achieved this without losing his sharpness in front of goal. Salah’s unerring ability to score goals and create chances sets him apart from possible replacements. The handful of players touted as potential targets for the Reds are not in his league.
Unless Liverpool have some damning data that can somehow predict when Salah’s form will dip, they simply cannot afford to lose him this summer. He is in the same bracket as players such as Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robert Lewandowski – all of whom continued to produce the goods well into their thirties.
Liverpool have got plenty of things right in the transfer market in recent years. Allowing Salah to leave for free would buck that trend.
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