It has been years since Liverpool had to deal with a player who was said to be unhappy on Merseyside; the once turbulent waters at Anfield are now still, and the seemingly ever-present years of transition now appear dormant. Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez, Javier Mascherano, Raheem Sterling and Phillipe Coutinho account for around £350m worth of talent that Liverpool reluctantly sold because the club simply wasn't able to match the ambitions of those players on the field.
The revolution that has been led by Jürgen Klopp has changed that, and the Reds are now considered by many as one of the three best teams in the world at the moment, having lifted the Premier League and the Champions League inside the past 18 months.
However, despite the calm, Liverpool felt a very minor quake some weeks ago as speculation emerged related to Mohamed Salah, who was said to be troubled for one reason or another. While the rumours surrounding the Egyptian international are unlikely to signal any imminent eruption or return to choppy waters for the club, the hints of a possible departure are interesting to consider given Salah's career path to date.
His ability to deliver on the pitch has been elite since he made the move from AS Roma in 2017, with 86 Premier League goals and 31 assists bagged over the course of around 10,500 minutes. In fact, Salah has posted a goal or an assist every 89.6 minutes over that period while contributing significantly to Liverpool's Champions League exploits in between. He is naturally inclined to single-handedly have a dramatic impact on winning because of his quality, his willingness to take risks and how he's able to impact the scoring potential of a side in a variety of ways.
Some would argue that based on those perks combined with how he very rarely suffers from injury, keeping Salah is a no-brainer and this time around, any switch to the likes of Real Madrid or Barcelona would be a step down.
On the other hand, Salah is now 28 years-old and while he still has many years left at the very top of the game, time is running out if Liverpool have intentions to eventually cash in on his services for a notable fee. He joined the Reds for less than £40m as he entered his peak, yet he would still be worth considerably more in today's market because of what he's evolved into under Klopp's tutelage. The Egyptian could quite easily fetch double the amount that Liverpool spent on him, and it is reasonable to suggest that the English champions have already experienced his peak years.
The numbers of the current campaign are difficult to rely upon given the strange nature of football surrounded by a global pandemic but after 17 league contests this season, Salah's numbers have dropped slightly in some areas. He registered 1.27 goals and assists minus penalties per 90 in his first season on Merseyside, which dropped to 0.75 per 90 the following year and rose to 0.81 the year after. This season, it stands at 0.73 per 90 but his expected figures are more concerning.
Expected Goals (excluding penalties) and Expected Assists offer an insight into the attacking output of a player and what he is likely to deliver based on the shots that he takes and generates for his teammates. Salah's Expected Goals (excluding penalties) and Expected Assists combined was 0.89 per 90 in his debut campaign, following by 0.72 and 0.76 but this season, it is 0.57 per 90. That drop is notable and could in essence be summed up as the difference between a good performer and a great performer.
His numbers continue to indicate a high level overall, and it cannot be stressed enough how much of an impact COVID-19 will be having on proceedings, but the very best of Liverpool's Egyptian king has probably already been witnessed.
Moreover, while his output may not diminish too much with time, his physical traits eventually will and that is unavoidable, which clashes with the fundamental approach of Klopp's game. The German is obsessed with intensity, speed and strength when it comes to executing his brand of football and the older his present crop of players get, the more at odds they will become with such a playing style.
Fenway Sports Group - Liverpool's owners - have a recent history of selling big name players after allowing Mookie Betts to transfer from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. A move for Salah would be different in a number of ways, but the decision made in terms of Betts does suggest that John Henry does not shy away from deals of that nature.
The Reds forward has just over two years remaining on his current deal which takes him up until the age of 30, but if he was to be sold for maximum value with those at Anfield holding all of the cards, negotiations would have to happen this summer.
The comments made by Salah and the lingering speculation about his future could simply be a ploy from his camp to attain a new contract and a higher wage, without a transfer considered as a legitimate possibility, but from the perspective of the important figures at the club and those who have offered a clinic on how to undertake recruitment and squad building across the past five campaigns, it is truly intriguing to think about what they will eventually do with Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino as they drift towards the twilight of their careers after relentless service.
It is not a decision that has to be made just yet, but if Salah does genuinely agitate for a new start in the near future, do not be too surprised if Liverpool choose to use the situation to fund their very own fresh start.
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January 12, 2021 at 01:00AM
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FSG could employ familiar tactic to help Liverpool solve Mohamed Salah transfer speculation - Liverpool.com
"tactic" - Google News
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