Salah and his Liverpool contract renewal: from imminent departure to unexpected surprise

The debacle of the last week following the Champions League elimination at the hands of PSG and the Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle has led Liverpool to make crucial decisions for next season. The Reds, who have practically secured the Premier League title, have outlined a roadmap to return to competitiveness outside the league, and this would entail a radical change in the club's plans.

Until a few days ago, Mohamed Salah 's departure from Anfield Road was taken for granted. Negotiations for his renewal remained stalled, and everything pointed to the footballer ending his time on the red side of Merseyside after almost eight years in the red shirt. He was even linked with clubs such as FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain , who were reportedly interested in signing him at zero cost.

However, events have taken an unexpected turn in the last few hours. According to 'The Athletic,' both the Egyptian and Virgil van Dijk have reached an agreement with the Scouser club to extend their stays with Arne Slot's squad . After months of speculation, both parties have reportedly resolved their ongoing disputes and will sign new contracts before the summer.

Salah's priority was to stay at Liverpool

The footballer always made clear his desire to continue defending the Liverpool badge , but the offers made from the offices at Anfield Road failed to satisfy the demands of a player who has earned the right to demand a contract commensurate with his star status.

The solid structure of the team under Arne Slot and the club's work to reinforce the attack with a top-level figure to accompany him ( Alexander Isak ?) would have been key to strengthening his decision to continue, and although figures have not yet been revealed, the African's new commitment will surely place him in the highest salary bracket of the club and the Premier League .

If 'Mo's' contract renewal is confirmed, Al-Hilal and Barça would lose one of their key targets for next season. The Saudi Arabian side has offered him a salary of up to €50 million per season, a prohibitive figure for any European club, to join their ranks, while the Catalans have been testing his signing, considering it a market opportunity, provided the player lowers his salary terms.

As things stand, what was shaping up to be one of the soap operas of the summer could have come to an end prematurely. Teams like PSG and Inter Milan have also reportedly tried to convince the player to join their squads for the following season, but Liverpool have taken the plunge and are close to securing their star player's continued contract.