When the Chelsea reject signed from AS Roma for £43.9m back in 2017 nobody expected him to become the beating heart of a Liverpool side that would go on to win every trophy possible under Jurgen Klopp – minus the Europa League, of course.
Liverpool's talisman has scored 214 goals in 352 games for the club with his most recent strike cruising past Manchester United keeper André Onana as Liverpool screwed Erik ten Hag’s side into a ball and tossed them aside in the hunt for their second title in the Premier League era.
The formerly shaggy haired winger has inspired a generation of Liverpool fans to believe in the side again, he not only almost single handedly brought home the club’s first league title in 30 years but helped what was once an average side just a few years before to multiple Champions League runs which put Liverpool back on the map.
The Egyptian is the Reds’ fifth-highest goal scorer of all time and is just 6 behind legend John Barnes after making 50 less appearances in all competitions - he averages a goal contribution every 93 minutes.
His contract is now in its final 10 months, with no extension so far which many feel is down to the departure of Jurgen Klopp. The German's exit has not only caused heartbreak amongst the fans but also triggered a major restructure within the club that could’ve spooked Salah as well as his captain into seeing what the future held.
The captain, Virgil van Dijk as well as arguably the best full back on the planet Trent Alexander-Arnold are in a similar situation to Salah. All three have been around since the good old days, when Liverpool would win for fun and rip apart anybody in their path on the way to another trophy, but have now been allowed to enter the final year of their contracts
This trio of talent have been patient with new boss Arne Slot, who many predicted would collapse under the weight once lifted by Klopp for over 9 years. The Dutchman however has prospered, his first three games have seen the side collect all nine points with a clean sheet in each which has left the side bullish ahead of what will be another title showdown against consistent champions Manchester City.
Slot’s shock success comes as a relief as any points dropped against the likes of Ipswich Town, Brentford and of course United would have damaged the chances of a contract renewal for the three players who are crucial to Liverpool’s rise to success.
The forward will be 33 when his current deal ends and Andy Robertson argued that he is only getting better with age. His impeccable fitness led to Salah joking that his “house looks like a hospital” after installing hyperbaric and cryotherapy chambers which proves how serious he takes the fitness regime that has kept him at his peak for over 7 years.
He has begun the new campaign covering more distance per game than in any of the previous three seasons as he continues to prove many who said that he will redundant this season completely wrong with his freak athlete status. Salah is comparable to Cristiano Ronaldo who is at peak fitness despite turning 40 next year, both have countless achievements and won’t be slowing down any time soon.
Salah has been patient; Klopp’s departure caused a shuffle that meant a contract was off the table until it was confirmed that Liverpool could thrive under Slot. The club have had an ideal start to the season and will look to compete in every competition this season and with the additions of Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili it’s clear that the Reds are once again building a project that could rival any club.
Signing Salah up to that project is imperative, a no brainer that Slot and his team should focus on more than anything else before their most dedicated and most adored player shifts his focus elsewhere either for financial gain or to a club who simply values him more than the world class winger he is.