Salah Contract Situation: Will Mo Stay Or Will Mo Go?
Liverpool are mounting a charge for the quadruple. Conquering all before them, Jurgen Klopp’s team are heading for another historic season. Yet, there are still column inches devoted to off-pitch issues, the most notable of which being Mo Salah contract negotiations.
Salah’s latest contract at Anfield expires at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. He could sign a pre-contract agreement elsewhere in January 2023.
Not many players get to that point, however, as most clubs will choose to cash in before they enter the final year of their deal. This is a decision that is becoming increasingly real for Liverpool and Mo Salah transfer rumours swirl as the summer window nears.
Salah is reportedly demanding over £400,000 per week on a long-term deal. This would put him up alongside Kevin De Bruyne as one of the league’s highest earners, but Liverpool are clearly reluctant to meet such demands from a player who turns 30 later this year.
The Egyptian spoke to Sky Sports about his contract situation in April 2022.
When asked what he can share about the negotiations, he said, “Well not much but honestly, but what I can say is there many things people don’t know about it. I can’t be selfish and talk about my situation.
“We are in the most important period for the team so I have to just talk about the team, focus on what is coming with the team and that is the most important thing.
“That is all I can say. Hopefully we are going to be more optimistic and see what is going to happen.”
While Salah was adamant that he remains fully focused on the field, and this will not prove to be a distraction down the stretch, he was noncommittal when asked if he was confident of getting a new contract agreed at Anfield.
“I can’t say yes, I can’t say no but I have said many times before about what I want. But again, I can’t go deep into my contract now because it is a really sensitive situation.
“The team need to win and I can’t be just going into the news and just talking about my contract. I just focus with the team, and that is it.”
Mo Salah Contract
Mo Salah contract is for £200,000 per week according to Spotrac. Salah is Liverpool’s joint-second highest earner behind Virgil van Dijk and tied with Thiago Alcantara.
The Merseyside club have a tight wage structure, however, leaving Salah way behind many of his Premier League peers. While instrumental in recent victories – including a 4-0 success over Manchester United – the club are well placed for future success, whether Salah stays or goes.
There are 14 Premier League players earning more than Salah per week, which is remarkable given that he’s arguably the best player of the lot.
He’s only earning slightly more than Alexandre Lacazette, Harry Maguire and Juan Mata. Those figures are a testament to what a bargain Liverpool got with Salah’s contract and the grotesque overspending of some of their rivals.
The timing of this contract renewal might seem ideal for Salah given his form this term. It also comes when he’s at an age that can be the beginning of decline for many pacy forwards.
Chelsea, for instance, refuse to give more than one-year deals to players over 30, and Liverpool have been particularly disciplined with their wage spending in recent years.
Salah doesn’t turn 30 until June, but a £400,000+ per week deal for five years would be an almighty risk on a player of his age.
Transfer Rumours
Other teams will be wary of handing Salah such a contract if he becomes available. A player of his ability is bound to have suitors, though, and we could see a considerable bidding war if Liverpool are open to offers at the end of the 2021-22 season.
The Daily Mirror have reported that Salah would view PSG and Barcelona as his ‘preferred destinations’.
PSG could have a sizeable gap in their frontline if Kylian Mbappe departs, while cash-strapped Barcelona continue to be linked with big names despite their financial strife.
The Parisians would have no trouble offering Salah the contract he craves, but the lure of the Camp Nou would be strong if Barca could muster the finances.
In fact, Barcelona president Joan Laporta spoke back in March about Salah’s reported interest.
He said, “Top players want to join Barca, that’s clear. I can’t say if we’re in talks for Lewandowski and Salah or not – or into the club they’ll tell me that I’m creating problems in the negotiations”.
A return to Serie A is also possible for Salah. Juventus are famed for their free transfer successes, and the Old Lady would reportedly be interested in Salah if he becomes a free agent in 2023.
The club from Turin apparently made contact with the Egyptian (or, more likely, his representatives) and he was “was very very honoured by the call”.
Staying at Liverpool still seems like the most probable outcome. A sale in the summer of 2022 is a longshot, particularly with Liverpool forced to accept a cut price transfer fee in such circumstances.
Of course, if he does head towards free agency, next season’s performances will have a significant impact on Salah’s market. Perhaps there are signs of decline and instead of PSG or Barcelona, he ends up chasing the money in MLS.
