Arne Slot admits the monetary package deal required to safe Mohamed Salah’s long-term future at Liverpool could also be growing because of his unimaginable kind.
Salah was majestic once more within the 2-0 win at Manchester Metropolis on Sunday, scoring and helping to take his variety of objective contributions for the season to 41 from simply 27 video games.
The Egyptian is heading in the right direction to interrupt the document for probably the most objective contributions in a single Premier League season, a document at present held by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, who each managed 47 from 42 matches.
Magnificent, Mo 🤩 pic.twitter.com/1lHpt9QgUa
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 25, 2025
Salah’s efforts have contributed to Liverpool holding an 11-point lead on the prime of the desk forward of tomorrow evening’s sport with Newcastle at Anfield and Slot’s males seem certainties to win the title.
Contract expires on the finish of the season
What occurs then stays up within the air concerning Salah as his contract expires in June however Slot is hoping the 32-year-old stays on Merseyside into subsequent season.
Requested if his latest exploits have made negotiations tougher, Slot mentioned: “You possibly can have a look at that in each methods as a result of the higher he does the dearer he could change into but when he was doing dangerous, we’d be having second ideas about extending his contract. I believe for everybody it’s the finest that he brings within the performances he’s now.
“Possibly for the one which has to pay him it isn’t one of the best however for everybody else it’s the finest as a result of if you wish to play at this membership it is advisable to be at his stage in any other case you’re nearly ineffective to play at this membership.
“We solely want gamers which might be on the prime of their sport as a result of this is without doubt one of the finest if not one of the best membership on this planet to play for. He must have these performances to play right here and hopefully to increase right here.”
No comparisons with Messi and Ronaldo
Salah’s objectives and assists tally this season means he has been in comparison with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo of their pomp, however Slot was not prepared to delve into it that deeply.
He added: ”It’s so troublesome to match gamers with one another and it’s not truthful to anybody. Mo has had his personal profession and he has been excellent.
“Mo has had some excellent seasons right here at Liverpool and we hope he can proceed this for an extended time frame however first he wants to increase his contract.”
Because it stands, Salah is the main contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, though there may be loads of time left for different gamers to make a mark. And Slot admitted gamers that win workforce awards are usually favoured.
“It’s a very good factor that Mo is within the dialogue as a result of it means he’s doing nicely and we’re doing nicely however for him to remain in that dialogue he ought to usher in the identical performances as he’s performed for seven or eight months now,” he mentioned.
“I believe normally somebody who wins the Ballon d’Or must win one thing as nicely so it’s an ideal problem that’s in entrance of us and in entrance of him. What I like is that he takes this problem by not solely scoring an enormous objective and an ideal help in opposition to Man Metropolis however he additionally wished the workforce to win as a result of his defensive work charge, particularly within the second half, was excellent.
“I believe that’s what it takes for us to have an opportunity of successful one thing and if we as a workforce can win one thing, he could have a much better probability to win the Ballon d’Or.”
Wholesale modifications unlikely
Slot is about to withstand the temptation to rotate his workforce an excessive amount of in opposition to Newcastle after his latest experimentation at Plymouth within the FA Cup noticed his fringe gamers produce a poor show in a 1-0 defeat.
He added: “These gamers are educated for this and they’re prepared for this. They’re in a sure rhythm and so they have proven this season many instances that they can but it surely was the explanation that I modified the line-up so drastically in opposition to Plymouth as a result of I don’t assume you are able to do this all season.
“You want as soon as each 4 or 5 weeks, a standard week and what I imply by a standard week is 2 video games per week, not three video games per week. After all, it damage us within the FA Cup but it surely additionally signifies that these gamers are actually in a position to play 5 video games in a row on the highest doable stage.”
Alexis Mac Allister is more likely to be match however Conor Bradley stays sidelined.
