Liverpool will miss Salah this month and it could be a sign of things to come
Life without Mo Salah is the stuff of nightmares for any Liverpool fan.
But the Egyptian king signed off for the African Cup of Nations with another brilliant performance against Newcastle on New Year’s Day - and the coming weeks will give everyone an idea about whether the club’s owners could ever contemplate cashing in on Jurgen Klopp’s most coveted asset.
Make no mistake about it, the interest in Salah from Saudi Arabia’s Pro League is not going away. Liverpool stood firm when Al-Ittihad told them to name their price last summer. The bidding started at £50million. It went to £150million before the Saudis realised that Salah would not be following Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho in the Middle East.
Salah, it was suggested, was offered £141million in wages over a two year contract to make the move. Even for a player who reportedly earns £350,000-a-week in the Premier League, that must have been some temptation.
Next summer, Salah will only have 12 months left on his Liverpool contract - so expect the interest from the desert to surface quicker than an oil strike. Liverpool stood firm last year. Jürgen Klopp didn’t want to lose a player who would virtually guarantee him 30 goals - and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon wisely backed his manager to the hilt. That stance has reaped the reward of seeing Salah spearhead another title challenge.
Chelsea complete record-breaking Enzo Fernandez transfer after deadline day rush
Salah was in stunning form in the win over Newcastle on New Year's Day (Paul Currie/Colorsport/REX/Shutterstock)Two goals and an assist against Newcastle ensured he left for the AFCON with Liverpool top of the Premier League. Egypt have been African champions seven times, more than any other country - and they are expected to be contenders once again in the Ivory Coast.
That scenario would see Salah miss as many as seven matches, starting with Sunday’s mouth-watering FA Cup clash with Arsenal. Most Liverpool fans would hope that Klopp still has enough quality in his squad to also negotiate two legs of the EFL Cup semi-final with Fulham and a trip to Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Salah will be in action for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFP via Getty Images)But if Egypt qualify for the business end of the AFCON, then Liverpool will possibly be without their talisman for games against Chelsea, Arsenal and Burnley. And Salah’s absence could then have a huge impact on the title race.
Klopp will keep his fingers crossed that the tournament doesn’t take too much of a toll on his top forward, both physically and mentally. Liverpool are far from being a one-man team. But goalscorers win games - that's why Manchester City can't wait to get Erling Haaland fit and firing.
Over the course of these next few weeks, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota will have to step up to the plate. If they don’t, then this season of rich promise might be derailed by the time Salah returns. It’s a massive issue for Klopp to deal with in the coming weeks.
But Salah's long-term future is another conundrum. Attracting Cristiano Ronaldo to the Pro League last winter gave football in Saudi Arabia a huge lift - and other big names have followed.
Salah will be 32 next summer and will still be coveted as one of the world’s greatest players. But the fact that he is the No 1 Muslim footballer on the planet would make him even more precious in the country that is the cradle of Islam. That’s why I'd be amazed if Saudis don't still have designs on Liverpool’s No 11.
There will be an added focus on Liverpool's other attackers this month (MICAH CROOK/PPAUK/REX/Shutterstock)I get that supporters are interested in team sheets rather than balance sheets. But the people who run Liverpool have sharp business minds and they will weigh up the value of any player to the club and measure it against his value in the transfer market before acting accordingly.
I would love nothing more than to see Salah end his career in the famous red shirt. But I am a realist who understands that there will probably be a time, in the not-too-distant future, when a move to Saudi Arabia would be the perfect fit for all parties.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
