Who would have predicted that?
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I at least expected the same.
Ironically MLS seems less crap in its standards this seasonā¦
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Why do I feel itās an odd piece to put out now, suppose Bostonās season ended 2 months ago and they spent reasonably in the summer.
BBC, UK audience, about 30 days from a transfer window opening. Seems logical enough.
The Betts trade they cite as an example of controversy is not hard to figure out. He was 28, and wanted a huge pay increase and a long term contract. He was making $10M/year, and was asking for $20M. Didnāt make any sense for a Boston team that finished 19 games behind in their division. It will make even less sense when he is 39 in the last year of the contract he got and making $32M. Any Red Sox fan who was somehow shocked he got moved hasnāt been paying attention.
Similarly, Salah is 31, and entering the last year of his contract next summer. Still a remarkable player, but not where he was a few years ago. With this season going well overall, they wonāt move him in January, but I have no doubt that he will be gone this summer.
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Still just sounds like itās a year out of date for us.
Opinions eh. I think Salah is playing slightly differently to his previous golden years. He is playing much more as a provider than he ever has before.
I donāt think anyone at Liverpool will be in a rush to get rid of him, because, to be blunt, we can only replace him with a lesser player. Thatās how good he is. He is still producing the numbers and is still probably the best player we have. Crucially, he is a fit as as a butcherās dog and rarely injured.
FSG have an eye on value, and Mo Salah is still bringing it, and seems likely to do so for a few years yet.
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Also the old idea that they sell when the value is high is also a bit misleading.
If Suarez or Coutinho had wanted to stay they would have been kept.
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Do you really think they will try to sign him to a new contract this summer, at the age of 32? The fact that he is still producing at a high level is why he is still here, but it seems very unlikely that they are going to contract with him to go well into his 30ās.
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Of course, neither of them were at an age where their asset value was going to fade over the term of the contract. Coutinho was 26 when he forced his way out, Suarez had turned 27 a few months earlier.
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Hope so!
Salah holds all the cards.
If I had my choice (and I donāt) it would be a one year extension, or not more than two, both to protect some transfer value, and keep him in the side as he is playing very well.
If Salah has his choice (and he does) he should probably run down his contract at Liverpool, playing at a high level, competing for big prizes, and then see what options he has. If he is still playing well, there will be an option to extend, or likely other options with elite European clubs, and of course, the Saudi option is always there too.
From the perspective of FSG, if it is one more year with Salah in the side after this one, or Ā£150M in the summer to reinvest into the team, they would surely go for the money.
But Salah holds the cards.
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How do they reinvest that Ā£150m? In the current market, and with sellers aware that we have money to spend, that buys two, maybe three, players good enough to play for Liverpoolās first team. And itās doubtful that anyone they buy can reproduce Salahās output.
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I agree that we wonāt get a like for like player when Salah does leave. The new player will probably have less output. I would be trying to get Salah to sign an extension if I worked for LFC, but he holds all the cards.
When he does leave I expect the team to still do well. Itās unlikely we would get a single player as good as peak Salah, as that is a rare bird indeed. But Iām sure Jurgen and the team will have various permutations in mind, and they will spend the money wisely to help take the team into the future.
The Ā£150M is a guess, based on what the Saudis offered last summer. I wouldnāt have a clue if we would try to go big on one special player, or spread it over more signings.
Looking to last summer, the midfield was greatly improved for that sort of sum, with the additions of Szoboszlai, MacAllister and Gravenberch.
Iām chilled, as we will be fine.
I expect Mo to see out his deal and go on a free, but thereās a good 18 months until we get to that.
Aye. Heās playing differently but that doesnāt mean worse. I previously made the somewhat distasteful comment that heās already sneakily made the same transition Ronaldo did at Real where heās started doing less but maintaining productivity. Ronaldo eventually became an anchor whose goals made him difficult to see clearly the challenges his selection resulted in. Mo likely will too just not for another couple of years though.
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FSG will only sell if the player is open to leave and Klopp is ok with it.
Remember I donāt think Klopp was forced into selling Henderson or Fabinho due to the club, same goes for Coutinho.
You talk of resale value but Salah has already paid back any amount paid out. Itās now solely about his output achieving what is paid in wages. Iād be wary of selling someone who can still deliver to the Saudi league with whatās the situation about to take place this Jan.
Like if Fabinho rocked up at Newcastle Iād probably smile, Salah less so. A 32 Salah is probably in the physical fitness of a 28/29 year old decent PL player.
If he wants to force a move so be it, if he chooses to wind down the contract Iām comfortable too as long as he performs.
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Yes, in a heartbeat.
Not only is he in incredible physical shape, not only is he still producing at high level, he is also our most marketable asset.
Ultimately Mo Salahās future will be decided by Mo Salah. We are sometimes guilty, as we do our ābuy him sell himā thing, of forgetting footballers have agency, and perhaps the biggest say in a transfer. They go where they choose and they arenāt passive assets.
At the end of this season Mo will have a year left. Even if Liverpool want to sell, they canāt force Mo to leave, and I suspect that if Salah does move he might want to try Spain or Germany before going off into Saudi Semi Retirement.
In terms of what happens at the end of the season, Iād rank our chance as follows.
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Mo signs a new contract, perhaps an extension for a couple of years, and with some flexibility for Mo if an offer comes in he want to look at.
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Nothing happens. We roll into next season with Salah in the last year of his contract.
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We sell him.
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The trick if we are to sell him is to agree the deal but keep it silent till weāve signed whoever will instantly have failed in the eyes of some fans. Publicly selling him first week for Ā£150m would be lunacy.
I think we are really in a sweet spot with Mo. If he leaves in the summer for good money (>100m) then we can be satisfied. If he stays we can be hopeful of another season where he produces for us. If he wants to sign a contract extension for a further 1-2 years at similar rates then I expect we may entertain that. Whatever happens (other than him leaving for a decent sum) we should have some time to prepare for life without him. If he is going in the summer Iād echo @Klopptimist and say weād be wise to get his replacement(s) in before we let him go.
Iām comfortable with any of the above and happy provided the team keeps being turned over.
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Ending the calendar year no worse than a point off the top of the table and at least two ahead of City sets up a really interesting question for the owners. I very much doubt anyone around the club expected to be in this position, FSG included. Is there some set of 1-2 transfers that could be brought forward to improve the chances at seizing the opportunity? It is not really Kloppās preference, but the Gakpo and Diaz transfers suggest a greater willingness to consider mid-season options than earlier.
How much is a title worth?