Mohamed Salah has put an end to months of speculation surrounding his future by penning a new two-year contract with Premier League leaders Liverpool, the club announced on Friday.
The 32-year-old Egyptian forward, who joined the Reds from Roma in 2017, expressed his delight in a club statement, saying, “It’s great, I had my best years here. I played eight years, hopefully it’s going to be 10.”
Salah has etched his name into Liverpool’s history books, having scored an impressive 243 goals in 394 appearances, making him the club’s third-highest scorer of all time. His stellar form has been pivotal in Liverpool’s pursuit of a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title this season.
“Of course I’m very excited. We have a great team now. Before also we had a great team. But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies,” Salah added, highlighting his ambition for further success at Anfield.
Under the guidance of new manager Arne Slot, Salah has continued to be a driving force, netting 27 goals and providing 17 assists in the Premier League as Liverpool currently sit 11 points clear at the summit with just seven games remaining.
Slot lauded Salah’s impact, stating, “He has shown at this club for so many years in a row how much of a value he is for the club and the team. As like all our fans and his team-mates, we are very happy that he has extended for two more years. Hopefully, he can show on Sunday again (against West Ham) how important he has been for us all season.”
Salah has been instrumental in Liverpool’s recent successes, helping the club secure the Champions League title in 2019 and their first league title in 30 years in the 2019/20 season. His trophy cabinet at Anfield also includes the FA Cup, two League Cups, the Club World Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup, solidifying his status as a Premier League icon.
Individually, Salah’s brilliance has been recognized by his peers and football writers, who have twice voted him as their player of the year. He is widely tipped to receive both accolades for a third time this year.
The news of Salah’s contract extension comes as a welcome boost for Liverpool, who have recently experienced a challenging run of form, losing three of their last four matches across all competitions. This includes their Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, a League Cup final defeat to Newcastle, and the end of their 26-game unbeaten league streak against Fulham. Salah himself has also endured a relatively quiet spell in front of goal.
Despite the recent dip, Liverpool’s strong position in the league has been achieved against a backdrop of uncertainty surrounding the contracts of several key players, including captain Virgil van Dijk and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose current deals expire at the end of the season. While Van Dijk has indicated progress in his extension talks, Alexander-Arnold has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Salah had previously voiced his frustration with the negotiation process, even suggesting he was “probably more out than in.” However, he has now committed his future to the club, despite reported lucrative interest from the Saudi Pro League.
This new two-year deal provides Salah with the opportunity to further cement his legendary status at Liverpool. He currently sits joint-fifth in the all-time Premier League goalscoring charts with 184 goals, and will be aiming to close the gap on Ian Rush’s club record of 346 goals.
Salah Extends Liverpool Stay with New Two-Year Deal
