Liverpool have secured Mohamed Salah on a new five-year contract that the manager, Jürgen Klopp, believes provides further evidence of the progress being made at Anfield.
The Egypt international has committed his future to Liverpool until 2023 in a lucrative deal that does not contain a release clause. Salah was widely coveted following a phenomenal debut season at Anfield that brought 44 goals in 52 appearances at club level but, as expected, has followed Roberto Firmino in committing to Klopp’s team for the long term. Sadio Mané is also in line for a new and improved contract at Liverpool.
Salah’s form and global status has soared since joining Liverpool on a five-year deal from Roma last summer. Negotiations on a new contract started with the 26-year-old’s agent, Ramy Abbas, before the end of a stunning debut season with Liverpool that brought a fourth placed finish in the Premier League and a Champions League final appearance. Salah was forced out of the final defeat to Real Madrid with a shoulder injury but he returned to make two appearances for Egypt at the World Cup.
No financial details have been announced about the forward’s new deal but he is expected to have doubled his wage to around £200,000-a-week. The absence of a release clause ensures Liverpool are in a strong position should a rival suitor, such as Real Madrid, step up their interest in Salah in the future.
Klopp, who was back at Melwood on Monday for the start of pre-season training, said: “I think this news can be seen for what it is; rewarding a person who performed and contributed greatly for the team and the club last season. It demonstrates two things very clearly also – his belief in Liverpool and our belief in him. We want world-class talent to see they have a home at Anfield where they can fulfil all their professional dreams and ambitions – we are working hard together to achieve this.
“When someone like Mo Salah commits and says this place is my home now, it speaks very loudly I think. Equally, our commitment to him says we see his value and want him to grow even more and get even better within our environment.
“The key thing to remember is the best thing about Mo is that he never sees himself as being more important than the team or anyone else within it. He recognises his teammates and this club helped him achieve individual success last season. He sees the individual awards come because he is part of something bigger that is special. Mo reflects where we are as a team, I think. Last season was special with many special moments – but we want more. We want to be more successful and achieve more together – as the supporters sang so loudly: ‘We’re never gonna stop.’ This has to be the attitude individually and collectively.”
Salah will not be among the Liverpool players reporting for pre-season training on Monday. He has been given an extended break following Egypt’s World Cup campaign.
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