£34m Liverpool player could now sign new deal with special release clause

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After the close of the summer transfer window, it’s been a nice peaceful couple of months for Liverpool.

Towards the end of the summer, it looked like the Reds might head into the season without one of their star men. With Mohamed Salah the subject of huge interest from Saudi Arabia, there was no guarantee the Egyptian would stay at Liverpool.

Rumours were rife for weeks on end. But after the Reds stood firm in their plan to keep hold of Salah, things have died down a touch. Now though, with the January window looming, journalist Ben Jacobs has kicked things off again. Speaking to Give Me Sport today, Jacobs has suggested that Salah’s future at Liverpool may not be a long one, even if he ends up signing a new deal.

“Liverpool would love Salah to extend his contract, but he will not be short of options in 2024,” says the journalist. “We know that the Saudi side will be back. That’s the first thing to say. It might be Al-Ittihad, but it could also be Al Hilal because the clubs are pretty changeable within Saudi Arabia.

“So, Salah will get a giant offer from Saudi for 2024, that much we know. Liverpool are braced for that. But Liverpool are also just not going to roll over and let a top player leave if they think that there’s a chance that he might extend a little bit longer.

“If Salah were to engage with Liverpool, it would be very defined and could be a type of deal whereby he could sign, and there could be a number that still allows him to go, or he could sign, and there could be a mechanism for him to talk to other clubs.”

Liverpool eyeing Salah extension

We’re sorry, but what on earth is this? Why oh why would Liverpool extend Salah’s contract only to include a ‘mechanism’ that allowed him to leave?

There is no part of that that makes sense for the Reds.

Of course, if there were no suggestion of big interest from elsewhere, then Liverpool could perhaps feel safe in inserting such a release clause.

But Jacobs even says that an offer from Saudi Arabia is virtually certain next year. As a result, Liverpool would simply be signing off on the fact that Salah would be leaving.

The only difference from now to then, would be that the Reds would have given up any right to have a say in the matter. We can’t get our heads around why that would be an option for Liverpool.

If Mo is to sign an extension to his contract at Anfield, then it will surely be with a view to completing it.

Liverpool know that they can get silly money if they so wish for Salah. They don’t need a release clause to tell them that. Al Ittihad already came forward with an earth-shattering one which the Reds rejected. Whatever happens, it’s likely to be at least three or four times the £34m they paid for the 31-year-old.

Given the way the Saudi Pro League has really failed to take off this season, Liverpool should be bullish of their chances of keeping Salah, though. His exit isn’t a foregone conclusion, if he’s open to a new contract, the Reds should get in there and tie him down. None of this mechanism nonsense.