I could swear that both Man United games were in March, which is where I felt the downfall began.
So personal glory before the team?
I think it’s clear that he’s not where he was physically and now he’s not even getting shots away the team can’t carry him. I think the Mo Salah superstar goalscorer is gone and the club realise they have a big job working out how to move forward.
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We’re all just guessing until we know officially, but my guess is both Mo and Virg are playing out their last weeks as Liverpool players. They will leave as Premier League Champions, heads held high, on the back of a parade, and move to slightly easier leagues for a king’s ransom in wages.
The club will have all the data in the world. I’m just an armchair fan looking on, but to my eye they have both dipped, physically. Salah has been fairly ineffective for a few weeks now. Is it a dip in form? Is a new level starting to show itself? I think it is a bit of both.
Van Dijk has had a couple of iffy games too. Everton went after him, and so did Fulham, and they both saw the benefit of that. Up to this point nobody has tried to take VVD on because he has just been too good, too strong, too dominant… I think that might be changing, and from this point on Virg might have to fight it out, game-to-game, with opposition players who are now perhaps sensing they might get a little change from him.
I think he will ride off into the sunset, with the title, with our thanks, and rock up in an easier league to see out his playing days.
Again, just guessing, but I’m now thinking both will be off and we have a heck of a rebuild coming up, as the defence and attack will both see changes. Maybe one more midfielder too, though that would be budget dependent, after other business. And maybe Bajcetic benefits from no further midfield recruitment this summer? Still, that’s not my main point.
It’s contracts. And I’m thinking all three are off.
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I think Virgil stays. Unsure about Salah…I can see that going either way.
Virgil will stay. We need his leadership.
Salah I think the leadership may play a blinder. I think they see the stats and know there is a drop off coming. £300-£400 k a week is madness n the case.
Engineer an end but make it seem more mutual.
These contracts are also heavily structured. We’d all like to know when is the exact moment to replace someone, but it’s not black and white. Salah can potentially still be one of the key players for one season if his level drops to 15 goals or whatever. The key is to get regular goalscorers around him and hopefully a new striker soon that might takeover that role long term, when Mo is gone.
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We shouldnt be giving Salah £300-£400k a week.
Make it incentive based. Flat rate of £200k and goals, assists etc give him a bump.
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Genuine question mate, when he says no to that, are you happy to just let him leave for nothing?
My own personal line on it, I think, is that if he’s insisting on his salary increasing, I’d be happy to walk away.
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It likely depends on what is important to Salah at this stage in his career. If it is money, then I think we won’t find a way to satisfy him. If he loves the club and has ambitions of becoming the all-time PL goal scoring leader, then maybe he is ok to take less and stay.
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Talking Mo and Virg, these guys will know themselves, if their shimmering star on the fitness and form side is beginning to diminish… There would be no shame if they chose to go out as PL medal holders after this season… We only have to look at the critique being aimed at Robbo the last few games; by those with short memories; to see what a bumpy road lies ahead if these two guys lose form dramatically next season… Let them go with their heads held high, is what I would say if they feel they can’t hold down a place in the team in the next year or so due to ‘old father time’ tapping them on their shoulder…!
Along with TAA, they have most certainly earned the right to choose their destination without getting lambasted for it
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Yeah I think if he wants £300K+ then at his age I think we have to say Thanks for everything but all good things come to an end.
Ill be gutted mind!
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Yeah I think I’d be more comfortable if we signed Isak early in the summer. Wishful thinking, though.
Losing Mo would mean a couple of years in top-5 purgatory, i reckon. Very very difficult to replace a 20+ goal a season forward.
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He would be the essential one to concentrate on another 3 years would do me and sign a couple of 22 year olds for him to educate as Konate is a bit erratic at present due probably to his contract issue as well.
Losing any of the 3 will be a blow, but we can’t break the bank for any of them.
Trent because paying a FB $300k per week opens up the flood gates for other players wanting parity.
Mo, as Walshy said, be on an incentivised contract and his minutes managed
Virg, for me the hardest to replace, he has been imperious but again I think we need to give him a breather now and again to help him both mentally and physically.
None should be on $300k plus IMO.
But losing all 3 will leave massive holes to fill, but we evolve and hopefully the powers that be have a keen and cunning succession plan.
There may be some truth in that. I wonder if losing 2 out of 3 of our core leadership group, and two extremely big names may be something we try to avoid, especially when it comes to convincing players to sign for us.
So I don’t know if the club will go with offering a one year deal on the same terms as he’s on now, and say to him he’s free to leave in 2026, but stick around while we bed in the new attacking signings.
What we do attacking wise is going to be massive. I think we’re all expecting Nunez to be sold. Jota and Diaz have 2 years left on their deals. If Barcelona come in for Diaz, then we could lose him. Jota, I don’t think we’ll extend, and so we’ll either sell this summer, or keep him for another year, and minimise the upheaval. Then we have Chiesa, who Slot just doesn’t fancy.
You could look at our attacking options and say that Gakpo is the only certainty right now. It’s why I think we may offer Salah to stay for one more year just because he’s a big name, a key part of the leadership group, and can set the standards for the new guys, new signings who I imagine will be much younger and will hang onto his every word.
Good news lads. The Belgian journalist who I don’t think has ever got anything right says Mo will take a pay cut and that he can’t see himself leaving.
https://x.com/lfctransferroom/status/1909300279843115224?s=46
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Again we have reports of Virgil signing a contract…and ‘breaking news’ of Virgil not signing or accepting his 2nd offer…geez this gets very confusing/stressful/annoying/and worrying…
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