Mohamed Salah's new deal promises exciting era at Liverpool

Egyptian striker and manager Jurgen Klopp both have points to prove after agreeing eye-watering contract

Mohamed Salah has signed a new three-year contract with Liverpool. Here 'The National' looks back at a season full of Premier League goals for the Egyptian superstar. Getty Images

1. Mohamed Salah's first goal of the season came in Liverpool's first game of the season, a 3-0 victory at newly promoted Norwich City on August 14. Reuters

2. Salah's second goal came on August 28, in Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Chelsea. Reuters

3. No 3 of the season was at Leeds United, where Liverpool won 3-0. EPA

4. Another for Salah in the Premier League in the 3-0 win against Crystal Palace on September 18. AFP

5. A thrilling 3-3 draw at Brentford on September 25 saw Salah claim another goal. AFP

6. A goal that will be talked about for years to come: Salah scores a wonderful strike in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City on October 3. EPA

7. The international break did nothing to slow Salah's form, as he danced around Watford's bewildered defence to score in the 5-0 win at Vicarage Road. Reuters

11. After three games without a goal, Salah is back on the scoresheet in the 4-0 demolition of Arsenal in the Premier League on November 20. EPA

12. Another to delight the Liverpool fans as Salah scores his side's second goal during the 4-1 Merseyside derby win at Everton on December 1. AP

13. His next came in the same match at Goodison Park. EPA

14. The only goal of the game in the 1-0 Premier League victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on December 11. EPA

15. Liverpool keep the momentum going with a 3-1 win over Newcastle at Anfield, with Salah netting the second, on December 16. Reuters

16. Salah celebrates another goal in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea on January 2. AP

17. Salah scores the second goal in the 3-1 win against Norwich on February 19. PA

18. Mohamed Salah scores in the 6-0 win against Leeds on February 23. PA

19. Salah after scoring his second goal of the game against Leeds. AP

20. Another stunning season for Mohamed Salah as he notches Premier League goal No 20 in the 2-0 win at Brighton on March 12. PA

21. Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their fourth goal in the 4-0 win against Manchester United on April 19. Reuters

22. Salah celebrates the second goal in 3-1 win against Wolves on May 22. Getty

Mohamed Salah has a point to prove. So does Jurgen Klopp. The Egyptian’s three-year contract extension at Anfield gives both men a significantly better chance of hitting their targets next season.

In May, Liverpool emerged from a remarkable campaign after enduring a disappointing climax to the season. Despite winning both domestic cups, they were unable to catch Manchester City in the Premier League title race and lost the Champions League final 1-0 to Real Madrid on a fraught night in Paris.

After that defeat, Jurgen Klopp radiated defiance and ambition. The German told fans to book their hotels in Istanbul, the site of European football’s showpiece game in 2023. It was a bold statement of intent.

The Liverpool manager has many strengths but among his greatest attributes is his ability to inspire belief in players and supporters. The question that hung over Anfield was how the uncertainty over Salah’s future would affect the mood at the club. That doubt has been swept away with the 30-year-old’s new deal.

The headline numbers about Salah’s pay rise are eye-watering: £400,000 per week makes him the biggest earner in the Premier League. This figure is a little misleading. The basic salary is nearer £300,000 and the contract is heavy with incentives. To maximise his earning power, Salah needs to score plenty of goals and win the biggest trophies. That is exactly what Klopp wants.

Last season the forward hit the back of the net 31 times but there was a perception that he did not recapture his best form after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations in February. Those suggestions stung, as did Salah’s failure to score in three finals. Paris was particularly disappointing, although Thibaut Courtois’s man-of-the-match performance for Real defined the game rather than sloppy finishing by Salah.

Liverpool v Real Madrid player ratings

LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 6. The Brazilian had little to do but got into a muddle for the disallowed goal. Some of his expeditions out of his area verged on erratic. AFP

Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6. The 23-year-old had a few good moments but was not as influential as usual. If he had checked over his shoulder, it might have been possible to stop the winning goal. Getty

Ibrahima Konate - 8. This was the Frenchman’s best performance in a red shirt. He was strong in the tackle and quick to snuff out danger. His one questionable moment was before the disallowed goal and he was saved by VAR. AP

Virgil van Dijk - 7. The Dutchman was powerful and composed and tried to spark attacks when on the ball. He was rarely in trouble but got dragged a little wide before the goal. AP

Andrew Robertson - 6. The Scot tried to get forward but his crossing was erratic. His link-up play on the left with Diaz did not work as well as usual. AP

Jordan Henderson - 7. The captain worked effectively in midfield and tried to move the ball quickly when in possession. He was withdrawn for Keita in the 77th minute as Liverpool chased a goal. EPA

Fabinho - 6. The Brazilian stamped his authority on the midfield early on and ensured his team were on top for most of the game. He did not contribute much going forward. AFP

Thiago Alcantara - 6. The 31-year-old was an injury worry before the game and did not look quite right even though his passing was neat. He was replaced by Firmino with 13 minutes to go. Reuters

Mohamed Salah - 7. The Egyptian was marginalised in the first half but threatened after the break. Some of his shots lacked precision but he was unlucky to be foiled by the brilliance of Courtois. Getty

Sadio Mane - 7. The Senegalese hit the post and caused Real some alarm. He was the victim of some rugged defending. EPA

Luis Diaz - 5. The Colombian had an off night and lost his contest with Carvajal. Jota came on for him in the 65th minute. Getty

SUBS: Diogo Jota (Diaz 65') - 6. The Portuguese was an upgrade on Diaz but was unable to beat Courtois. He was swamped by a blanket defence. Getty

Naby Keita (Henderson 77') - 5. He showed for the ball but never looked like turning the match Liverpool’s way. AP

Roberto Firmino (Thiago 77') - 6. The Brazilian produced some clever touches but they were not enough to change the course of the game. Getty

REAL MADRID RATINGS: Thibaut Courtois - 10. One of the great Champions League final performances, the Belgian produced save after save, including six from Salah alone, to guide Real Madrid to victory. Getty

Dani Carvajal - 8. Had the unenviable task of marking Diaz but stood firm, won his battle with the Colombian, and played a key role in Madrid's clean sheet. AP

Eder Militao - 8. Won 100 per cent of his aerial duels and both attempted tackles while also making three successful interceptions, the Brazilian was a rock amid relentless Liverpool attacks. AP

David Alaba - 8. The Austrian was superb alongside Militao, winning four out of five ground duels, making four successful tackles, three interceptions, and three blocked shots. What an incredible free transfer Alaba has turned out to be. Reuters

Ferland Mendy - 8. Had his hands full defensively against Salah but the Frenchman was excellent on the ball, achieving a 97 per cent passing accuracy and won 100 per cent of his one-on-one duels. AP

Luka Modric - 7. Played a key role in the build-up to the goal and celebrated the Champions League triumph by announcing he had signed a new contract. A fifth European Cup for the ageless Croatian. Reuters

Casemiro - 9. Superb from the Brazilian who delivered a vintage defensive midfield display, winning 5/5 aerial duels, 8/11 ground duels, and four tackles, as well as six ball recoveries. Getty

Toni Kroos - 7. Quiet in the first half but grew into the game after the break, achieving 93 per cent passing accuracy including 100 per cent of his 11 attempted long balls. Getty

Federico Valverde - 8. Preferred to Rodrygo on the right wing and it proved the right move from Carlo Ancelotti after the Spaniard played the killer pass for Vinicius Jr's winning goal. Beyond the assist, Valverde had a good game. AP

Karim Benzema - 7. Capped a sensational season by winning a fifth Champions League title. There was to be no final goalscoring heroics but surely Benzema is headed for the Ballon d'Or. EPA

Vinicius Junior - 9. A constant threat down Madrid's left flank and popped up with the game-winning goal. Vinicius finished the season with 22 goals and 20 assists. Getty

SUBS: Eduardo Camavinga (Valverde 85') - N/A. Brought on for the final five minutes to help Madrid over the line. AP

Dani Ceballos (Modric 90') - N/A. Provided fresh legs for injury time. Getty

Rodrygo (Vinicius 90'+3) - N/A. AFP

Fenway Sports Group thought long and hard about the merits of giving Salah an extension. The Americans do not like betting big money on players in their 30s. Yet the danger of allowing the striker to run down his contract and leave on a free transfer next summer threw up a number of nightmare possibilities.

The first half of the new season would have been overshadowed by speculation about the Liverpool talisman’s future. Come January, he would have been able to agree a deal with a new club. In the worst-case scenario, this could have been a Premier League rival. No one at Anfield fancied seeing a motivated Salah wearing a Chelsea or Manchester City shirt.

There is an element of risk in handing a 30-year-old an extra three years. Salah’s legs will be tested, particularly in the first half of the season when Liverpool will play on average every 3.7 days – and that is budgeting for just one League Cup tie. Klopp has options up front despite the departure of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich. The addition of Darwin Nunez from Benfica will help fill the vacuum left by the Senegalese but regardless of the manager’s ability to rotate the front three, the burden of goalscoring will likely fall on Salah.

That is something he will relish. In his five years on Merseyside, Salah has notched 156 times. That places him ninth on the list of prolific Liverpool strikers but the more telling statistic is the Egyptian’s strike-rate. His goals-to-minutes ratio is the best in the club’s history.

It sometimes seems that other members of Klopp’s side – Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and even Mane – get more love than Salah. Yet the modern era of success at Anfield has been predicated on the forward’s goals. For Klopp to achieve his aims over the coming seasons, the German will need his primary goalscorer to keep hitting the heights.

Expect Salah to start the season fast. He will get a break during the World Cup because Egypt did not qualify and should resume the campaign in December after benefiting from a month of rest. He will regret missing out on Qatar but his absence will work in Liverpool’s favour.

Klopp has his weapon of choice for the next three years and Salah is as ambitious as his manager. Exciting times lie ahead for the Kop.