My name is Michael Soar, and I will be writing a maximum of two football articles a week for Writebase as part of an English Literature MA work-based module at LJMU. I am entirely new to the genre of football journalism, so please forgive any rookie mistakes, as well as any skewed points of view or punditry (probably leaning towards favouring the fortunes of Liverpool Football Club), on my part. And today we’re talking about Mohamed Salah and his future at LFC.
Mohamed Salah
To begin with, as of February 16 2022, on the back of a 2-0 victory away at the San Siro, and a great run of form with no predicted end in sight, there still seems to be a lack of clarity regarding Salah’s contract situation at LFC. This has led to some nervous comments and statements from Liverpool fans and staff alike. For instance, according to the LFC Transfer Room at si.com, as of the 19th of January 2022, “Liverpool and FSG are still going back and forth on whether to meet [Salah’s] wage demands or not” (LFC TRANSFER ROOM, 2022).
Furthermore, a very recent article from the Liverpool Echo has suggested that “…with less than 18 months remaining on his contract…the Kop favourite is in a strong bargaining position to secure himself a new mega deal” (Football Editor, The Liverpool Echo, 2022), meaning that Liverpool owners (and therefore fans) are not likely to see any new major signings if they are to retain the services of Salah.
Probability
In my opinion, despite the recent overwhelmingly positive performances, he is likely to leave the club, most likely due to the controversy surrounding the situation, but how will this impact LFC’s squad reserves and efforts across all competitions next season?
In answering the first of those questions, losing Salah would most definitely negatively impact on our right-sided attack, because, as well as being a fervent attacker and clinical finisher, Salah also tends to track back and help the midfield and defence. This would mean (if he was to go) players such as Harvey Elliot would have to step up to the plate in filling this versatile role. Elliot typically plays on the right side of midfield or up front, solely as an attacker.
Consequences
Also, in answering the second question, this would have a greatly negative consequence for our competition aspirations. Players like Elliot (amongst others) generally appear in the ‘backup’ squads for smaller, cup ties. As well as this, when Van Dijk or Milner are not playing, Salah tends to don the captain’s armband. This means that him leaving the club would impact the morale of the squad and players. And this would happen every time match day comes around.
So, have I persuaded you that Salah needs to stay (and dare I say, play)? As for myself, I believe it is ultimately the board’s decision. Not to mention Salah’s own perspective on his contract at Anfield. These will sway whether he stays at LFC past 2023. However, there is no saying as to whether he will stay due to fans’ opinions…
