As news breaks of Mo Salah’s new deal at Liverpool, he remains a much-needed consistent in a world with so much uncertainty…
ONE down, one to go.
Mohamed Salah chooses Liverpool. Both he and Virgil van Dijk (hopefully) staying is brilliant news.
It solidifies the notion that Liverpool are common sense operators. That they haven’t slapped themselves in the face with unnecessary tariffs which only damages themselves or penguins.
Most importantly, they’ve tied down two players whose every metric suggests they’ll stay at the very top level for the next two years.
In the macro, you hope it can take a big slice of positivity into beating West Ham and all feeling great come teatime Sunday.
Defeat to Fulham was unreasonably infuriating on the part of everyone. The type of defeat which leaves you lamenting having a week to wait until the next game.
We’ve been pondering the future identity of this squad with and without these three players all season. We’ve demanded clarity about what the future looks like because they are so pivotal to what Liverpool has become.
Salah staying hopefully guarantees goals and assists by the bucketload, but you’re also guaranteed excellence. The highest of standards applied and set across the squad.
He and Van Dijk are the flagbearers of such standards and will only become more so with age.
Looking around this squad, it’s been clear that Liverpool could do without the headache losing all three players would bring.
Trent Alexander-Arnold looks set to depart and reparation is needed. Aside, there are enough uncertainties and questions to be asked around other players on the books.
That half-a-dozen squad members are likely to move on this summer and there remains scope for variance on who that is speaks to this point.
Certain positions need attention, but overall you don’t expect a huge identity shift now Salah and seemingly the captain are onboard.
The identity of this Liverpool squad does still feel in flux, but not as much as it could have if both left.
I think we overlook how identifiable Liverpool’s 2018-2022 sides were. The makeup of Alisson and Van Dijk, an industrious midfield and the front three was synonymous with Jürgen Klopp’s best teams.
That was ripped up following a turgid campaign of leggy football in the summer of 2023, when Klopp famously coined his Reds ‘Liverpool 2.0’ after a high-profile turnover of players.
Jordan Henderson and James Milner apart, the biggest characters stayed. The leadership group remained largely intact and that looks like it will be the case again apart from Alexander-Arnold.
It’s intriguing to think about what would have happened if all three left. Liverpool would have had a plan, because it would have been their decision in large parts.
But who were the leaders? Where would the goals come from? Who would stop them in such a way as Van Dijk could?
It would have felt like an unnecessary experiment. One which left Liverpool vulnerable. The next two years will need to be spent planning for that eventuality. Life without Salah and Van Dijk will be our reality one day.
For now, it looks like we’ll be sticking with the old. A wise decision given the levels they continue to display.
Above them, Arne Slot remains Liverpool’s unassuming presence. Not as all-consuming as Klopp was and needed to be when he walked into the club. But beyond competent and hopefully a winner of the most coveted prize at the first time of asking.
Today, we can enjoy Salah and his insatiable thirst for goals, adoration and trophies. He will have Roger Hunt in sight. Getting to 43 goals in the next two years is very attainable.
One of the most important cultural icons of his time chooses Liverpool, loves Liverpool and wants his family to adopt its values. He sees Liverpool in his children. He wants to put smiles on the faces of its people, his people.
A lot is changing in the world. One consistent positive for us is Mohamed Salah and Liverpool remain the same.
