Mohamed Salah’s Contract Extension: Behind the Scenes of Liverpool’s Negotiation Triumph

The news that Mohamed Salah will remain at Liverpool for the foreseeable future has been a significant moment for the club and its fans. After months of speculation and tense negotiations, Salah signed a two-year contract extension, ensuring his place at Anfield until at least 2027. The saga, which has been anything but straightforward, reflects both the player’s value and the club’s calculated approach to long-term planning.

Long and Complex Negotiations

The process of negotiating Salah’s new contract has been a drawn-out affair, spanning nearly a year. It has involved complex discussions between Salah’s representative, Ramy Abbas, and Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes. Though the public announcement was met with widespread relief, the behind-the-scenes drama was anything but smooth. Salah’s relationship with Liverpool had grown increasingly strained during the negotiations, especially as he felt that the club was not fully recognising his status as one of the world’s elite players.

“Salah and Abbas understood he was only ever going to get paid for what he might achieve in the future but they wanted to maintain his position as one of the best-paid in the world,” explained The Athletic. This sentiment became a key issue in the talks, with Abbas striving to secure a deal that would reward Salah for his sustained excellence while keeping him firmly in the upper echelons of the football wage hierarchy.

Financial Discrepancies and FSG’s Approach

One of the most challenging aspects of the negotiations was ensuring that Salah’s new contract did not disrupt Liverpool’s notoriously disciplined wage structure. The club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), have always prioritised financial sustainability, and this principle was non-negotiable during the contract talks. As a result, while Salah’s new deal is undoubtedly lucrative—reportedly making him the second-highest-paid player in the Premier League—it also reflects Liverpool’s ongoing commitment to maintaining fiscal discipline.

“FSG’s money was ultimately Gordon’s, and he would be the one signing off any deal,” The Athletic noted, reflecting the careful scrutiny placed on every aspect of the negotiation. While there was no suggestion of a pay cut for Salah, FSG was keen to ensure that any offer made was sustainable and aligned with the club’s broader financial goals.

Emotional and Professional Balance

For Salah, the decision to extend his stay at Anfield was not merely a financial one. His connection to the club, its fans, and his family played a significant role in his eventual commitment. “Salah thought the best years of his career were still to come,” The Athletic ...