Liverpool head coach Arne Slot welcomed the positive message Mohamed Salah‘s contract extension sent out in terms of the club’s ambitions.
The long-running saga over the Egypt international’s future was finally ended with the announcement the 33-year-old, whose deal was due to expire in the summer, had committed himself to the Premier League champions-elect for another two years.
Salah said he signed “because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football.”
The forward added: “I said in the beginning of the season, I just want to win the Premier League more than anything else. I want it so bad, to be fair.”
Mohamed Salah signs until 2027
Sporting director Richard Hughes has spent a large amount of his time working on the negotiations, in addition to those involving Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold who are also in their final three months.
But Slot admits it also required the financial backing of owners Fenway Sports Group to get it over the line after deviating from their policy of not handing players over 30 lucrative new contracts, with a cut in the forward’s reported £350,000-a-week wages never on the agenda in discussions.
“First of all, it’s Mo’s choice and his agent’s choice and what he wants. Second of all, the club; FSG, Richard, Michael Edwards put a lot of effort to influence that,” said Slot.
“Effort mostly means money – but also effort, not only money.
“It gives a positive vibe to the club, maybe a positive vibe we might not need but it’s always good to have positive vibes instead of negative vibes.
“If you want to sign new players or players who want to extend here, it is always a positive to see one of our star players over the last seven or eight years has made the choice to extend his contract.
“It also shows maybe how ambitious this club is: not only Mo, but the owners. We are really ambitious to keep performing the way this club has performed for so many years.”
Throughout the negotiations it was always both parties’ preference to reach this conclusion, but it is understood the club’s desire to recruit and retain the best talent had to fit in with their sporting, financial and overall best interests.
Therefore Salah’s deal had to fit into that framework, as will that of Van Dijk’s when it is likely confirmed in the near future.
Negotiations with Alexander-Arnold, who has been at the club for 20 years having joined aged six, are more complex as the pull of Real Madrid, who have been pursuing him for a year, is strong.
Liverpool’s 11-point lead at the top of the table means Salah’s ambition is likely to be fulfilled this season but he is not content to stop there.
“That’s something that drives me crazy every day – to come to work and push myself and push the other players also, because we are closer than ever now that we can win it in a special way,” he told LiverpoolFC.com.
“I believe the team can win many trophies in the next years. If I don’t believe that I would have not signed.”
Slot believes Salah’s commitment to the club not only provides a boost to the team but can also help in the club’s summer recruitment drive, with the Egyptian setting the standards for others to follow.
“If I would put myself in the shoes of a player we might want to sign, it is always nice to tell them – and we don’t have to tell them now as it’s out in the open – that Mo is staying,” the head coach added ahead of Sunday’s visit of West Ham.
“So that helps, but what helps the most is we kept a quality player that has scored seven or eight years in a row so many goals for us.
“There are more players who can score goals, but Mo can score goals even if he is not in the best half hour or best 15 minutes and that’s why he is mentally so strong as well.
“You need to be that if you want to be at the highest level every three or four days for seven or eight years.”
‘Van Dijk and Salah contracts could trigger others to sign’
Sam Millne (@sam_millne)
The extensions of Van Dijk and Salah make the picture clearer for those at the club and the players considering a move to Merseyside.
Like last season, when Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp, it was understandable that individuals wanted to see how things played out before putting pen to paper.
If Liverpool’s No. 4 and No. 11 were to leave this summer, along with Alexander-Arnold, the Reds would again be in a state of uncertainty.
However, their impending signatures will leave players who have contracts expiring next season, like Ibrahima Konate, arguably more likely to extend themselves.
The presence of Salah and Van Dijk should also help in the transfer market, as Liverpool’s objectives become clearer and targets see that the Reds are here to stay at the top table under Slot.
