According to The Athletic’s James Pearce and Anthony Hay, Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah will remain at the club next season.
Salah is headed into the final season of his current Liverpool contract. Despite talks being held over a new deal, Salah wants a contract that reflects his importance to the club. Talks have not gone well as Liverpool are currently unwilling to agree on a new deal with Salah, who turns 30 in June.
Liverpool have shown in recent seasons that they are not afraid to let players leave on free transfers. Divock Origi will leave the club after the Champions League Final. The Liverpool legend’s departure comes one season after Georginio Wijnaldum moved to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. In Wijnaldum’s case, the grass was not greener in Paris, after a new contract could not be agreed at Anfield.
In recent years, I have written and spoken about European football becoming more like American sports such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB in terms of the number of big-name free agents hitting the market each offseason.
The rise in transfer prices and salaries means football’s biggest players won’t be able to change clubs as freely as they may have done via transfers 10 to 20 years ago. Now, free agency is likely the way in which the world’s best players will move clubs.
Salah was interviewed ahead of this weekend’s Champions League Final against Real Madrid.
“I’m staying next season for sure,” Salah said. “I don’t focus on the contract at the moment. It’s about the team. It’s a really important week for us. I want to win the CL again.
“I want to see Hendo (Jordan Henderson) with that trophy in his hands again and then hopefully he gives it to me!”
The transfer market may not be as active with big-name players as it was previously believed to be. Kylian Mbappe’s decision to remain at Paris Saint-Germain has already altered the way big clubs will recruit this season.
In addition, Barcelona and Real Madrid could be banned from the Champions League for next season. A potential ban would reduce the desire of top players to sign for either Spanish club this summer. Moreover, neither Spanish team has the financial ability to pay a large transfer fee for Salah this summer.
How many goals has Mohamed Salah scored for Liverpool? Read our recent blog to find out.
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