Mohamed Salah has said it is “a happy day for everyone” after finally committing to his future with Liverpool by signing a new three-year deal that makes him the highest paid player in the club’s history.
Long negotiations with the 30-year-old’s representative had not progressed until the last few days, with a Liverpool delegation led by new sporting director Julian Ward flying to see Salah while on holiday this week to close the deal. ‘agreement.
It is understood Liverpool have agreed to pay Salah around £ 350,000 a week, although the new contract includes a number of performance-related clauses that mean the striker will be rewarded according to the number of goals he scores or in which participate.
“I feel really good and [I am] excited to win trophies with the club, “Salah told the Liverpool website.” It’s a happy day for everyone. I think it takes some time to renew, but now everything is done, so we just to focus on what you see.
“You can see that in the last five or six years the team has always gone [upwards]. Last season we were close to winning four, but unfortunately in the last week of the season we lost two trophies.
“I think we are in a good position to fight for everything. We also have new signings. We just have to keep working hard, have a good vision, be positive and get back to everything. ”
Salah has won his third Golden Boot in five seasons since joining Roma in 2017, as Liverpool were beaten by one point in the Premier League title by Manchester City and have scored 156 times in 254 appearances. He had previously said he would stay at the club next season, raising the possibility that he would later leave with a free transfer.
Mohamed Salah celebrates this after scoring Liverpool against Manchester United in April. Photography: Phil Noble / Reuters
Although the Egyptian did not immediately commit to a new agreement, it is understood that there was a long-standing compromise between the two sides to reach an agreement, especially after Sadio Mané’s departure for Bayern Munich. Salah’s contract expires in 2025, just after he turns 33, and his best years will come, according to Jürgen Klopp.
“It’s the best decision for us and the best decision for him,” the manager said. “I think it belongs to us. This is his club now. Of course, it has taken a while, but this is absolutely fine and the best things are always worth waiting for anyway. Mo is one of the best players in the world. It’s normal to have things to sort out when you’re at their level, such a big credit to Julian Ward and Mike Gordon [the president of Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group] to guide us to this destiny ”.
Klopp added: “I have no doubt that Mo’s best years are yet to come. And that’s to say something, because the first five seasons here have been things of legend. In terms of fitness, it’s a machine. , in the most amazing way. He works hard on it and gets his rewards. His skill and skill level increases every season, and his decision making has also gone to another level. “
Salah won the Football Writers ‘Association and Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year awards last season and is Liverpool’s ninth top scorer. But last month he said he was “surprised” after finishing seventh in the 2021 Golden Ball rankings despite another stellar season.
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Emulating George Weah, the only African player to have won the award, remains a great incentive for Salah, who will lead a rejuvenated attack in the absence of his long-term foe Mané, with Liverpool joining Benfica’s Darwin Núñez as a substitute. .
“I’m very excited, I want to play with him,” Salah said about the Uruguayan striker. “He has had a good season and has played well against us, at home and away. Also, Sadio is gone and I will miss him. He had great seasons with the club, so I wish him all the best. I also wish Darwin the best for scoring many goals for us. “