If Liverpool decides not to renew Mohamed Salah’s contract, it will be a tough decision for the fans. A looming question over Anfield is why contracts for Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold remain unresolved. All three stars are set to have their contracts expire next summer, and by law, they can start negotiating with foreign clubs from January if no new deal is agreed upon with Liverpool beforehand.

What has led to this deadlock? And what will Liverpool’s leadership do to address the situation?

Mohamed Salah at a Career Crossroads

In 2022, Salah signed a three-year deal with Liverpool, making him the highest-paid player in the club’s history with a weekly base salary of £350,000, not including bonuses. With advertising income, this figure reaches nearly £1 million per week.

Last summer, Al Ittihad, a Saudi Arabian club owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), made a £100 million offer for Salah, which could have risen to £150 million. However, the move fell through, and Salah remained in Merseyside, where he has scored 56 goals in 96 games since his latest contract. Currently, despite new Sporting Director Richard Hughes reaching out to Salah’s representative, Ramy Abbas, no discussions about a contract extension have taken place. This delay has surprised many fans and experts, particularly following a tumultuous season with changes in management and sporting directors.

Salah’s Considerations

Since winning the Premier League in 2020, Liverpool has secured three more domestic trophies, but Salah has played a lesser role in finals due to injury. During this period, Liverpool also narrowly missed out on additional league and Champions League titles.

Salah feels some regret looking back at this phase and is more determined than ever to achieve success, rather than focusing on the future. He is also curious to see how things will unfold under new coach Arne Slot and in the post-Jürgen Klopp era.

Salah remains open about his future, being more relaxed compared to the summer of 2022 when it seemed he and Liverpool might part ways. This time, however, both sides have less time before Salah’s contract expires.

If the issue is purely financial, Liverpool may struggle to compete with Saudi Arabian clubs. Al Ittihad has not given up on signing Salah, but the deal would be costly. Karim Benzema’s £172 million three-year contract with Al Ittihad last summer highlights the financial power of Saudi clubs.

Liverpool’s Perspective

In 2022, Sporting Director Julian Ward traveled to Greece to finalize Salah’s contract. However, most critical negotiations involved Fenway Sports Group (FSG) President Mike Gordon. With Hughes replacing Ward and Gordon stepping back from daily activities at Liverpool, it will be interesting to see if Michael Edwards, recently appointed by FSG as “Football Executive,” will be involved in negotiating with Salah.

Salah’s age is also a significant factor. FSG prioritizes financial sustainability and is typically reluctant to offer long-term deals to players over 30.

Salah’s Importance to Liverpool

If Liverpool chooses not to renew Salah’s contract, it will be a challenging decision for the fans. Replacing a player with Salah’s consistent scoring record is no easy task. Even in a season considered underwhelming by Salah’s standards, he still managed to score at least 25 goals.

If Salah leaves, fan reactions will depend on his destination. Many will accept if he joins a Saudi Arabian club, but there will be less sympathy if he moves to another European team, especially a direct Premier League rival.

Salah’s future remains uncertain. Whether Liverpool can retain their star player will hinge on various factors, including Salah’s ambitions, Liverpool’s financial capacity, and competition from other clubs.