This is what Mo Salah really meant with contract bombshell and how rare interview affects his Liverpool future

First, let’s invite you to a few running jokes.

Before Mohamed Salah spoke Mailsport and a small number of other reporters on Sunday, he had stopped to talk to the print press only twice in his Liverpool career.

“Fancy two minutes, Mo?” we always ask, knowing he will grin, wave and move on.

By comparison, there’s also a running joke that those regular Reds correspondents speak to some players more often than their own families, with certain stars always willing to lend their time and thoughts to the theme of the day.

Standing in the gale-force winds and sideways rain outside St Mary’s in Southampton, as any semblance of sunlight had completed its few hours of work and the day had clocked off, you could forgive reporters for not expecting much in the way of blockbuster quotes .

But then Salah trudged out. “Would you like two minutes, Mo?” came the question, waiting for the usual answer. The last time we spoke to him was in Philadelphia, where he replied, “I’ll talk in preparation.” It was the preseason. Not only a prolific goalscorer, but also a one-liner comedian.

The time before that was at West Ham’s London Stadium after a row with Jurgen Klopp. “When I speak today, there will be a fire,” he said as he passed by. Those eight words had more impact online than an hours-long sit-down with most footballers.

So Salah knows the weight his words carry and understands how to play the game. As he walked alongside the team bus, ready to take the players to Southampton Airport, he clearly had a premeditated message he wanted to tell the world.

This was him asking the reporters for a chat – and not the usual opposite. Salah wanted to be asked about his contract and while we’re not mind readers, it was clear he was thinking, ‘Come on guys, get to the point’ when he was warmed up with some questions about the win.

After those introductory questions – he was happy with his two goals, if you were wondering – Mailsport asked for a contract update. “We are almost in December and I have not received any offers to stay at the club yet,” he said. ‘I’m probably outside more than inside.

He added that he loved Liverpool and wanted to stay but was disappointed with their lack of progress. It is understood his long-standing agent, Ramy Abbas, has held talks with the club and senior Anfield sources have insisted these were positive discussions.

But Salah, who was as clever with his words as he was with scoring goals, had a plan of action. He had hung a carrot at Liverpool’s top brass in September when he said on Sky Sports that this was his last year at Anfield, and another with an Instagram post saying how much he loved the club.

Neither worked. If we are to take Salah at face value, there is no new deal on the table. It’s important to say at this point that there are three sides to every story and this is no different: Salah’s side, Liverpool’s position and, perhaps somewhere in the middle, the truth.

Of course, it is right that Salah feels insulted because there is nothing on the table. Without a doubt he has been the best player in the Premier League this season – his 12 goals and 10 assists back that claim – and he probably feels mistreated.

What is also clear, however, is that the Egyptian used the media to send a message to Liverpool and that this morning this should have set alarm bells ringing in Merseyside but also in Boston, home of owners Fenway Sports Group.

It certainly set off deafening alarm bells filtering through the fanbase. “A whole morning for you, I think,” read a text from a friend supporting Liverpool. “Thanks for ruining mine in the process.”

Another reminded Mailsport of an article we published a fortnight ago in which we weighed the similarities between Salah and Mookie Betts, the baseball player who was allowed to leave the Boston Red Sox by FSG, which also owns the American giants.

Betts was their star man and highest-paid player and wanted to stay – as he later confirmed. But no contract materialized, so he sailed into the sunset and joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he won two World Series championships.

Salah is Liverpool’s best player, the highest earner and wants to stay. The parallels are hard to ignore. FSG head of football Michael Edwards has long had a policy of not renewing deals for older players, but this player is certainly a reason for exemption.

It is understood that Salah’s words have sent shockwaves throughout the football world, from teammates waiting on the bus – who were reportedly shocked to see him walking towards reporters – to TV networks in Egypt reporting 24 hours a day. reported. on their largest export.

Sources close to the club have stressed that they never expected a quick conclusion to a contract deal given Salah’s status at the club. But the fact that he is entering his final six months with no resolution in sight is a cause for widespread concern.