Mohamed Salah acknowledged that discussions with Liverpool regarding a new contract were challenging, and there was a real chance he could have departed Anfield this summer.
Mohamed Salah has admitted negotiations with Liverpool over a new contract were “not easy” and there was a genuine possibility he could have left Anfield this summer.Alongside Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Salah’s expiring contract had dominated headlines all season.
He ultimately inked a two-year extension last month, but only after several public displays of frustration towards his situation.In November, Salah claimed he felt “more out than it” at Liverpool, and he went one step further in January by bluntly describing the current campaign as his last at Anfield.
Admitting the prospect of leaving this summer helped inspire his unbelievable form this campaign, Salah confessed to France Football that leaving Liverpool was definitely on the table when negotiations were slowing down.
“It was a possibility, yes,” he said of a summer exit.
“It was actually a bit strange; we were doing really well this season, and there was this negotiation that wasn’t easy.
“In the end, all’s well that ends well: we’re champions, and I’m staying for two more seasons.”
Concerns behind the scenes have never affected performance on the field.
Salah has emerged as one of Europe’s leading players this season, accumulating 33 goals and 23 assists in 49 matches across all competitions for Arne Slot’s championship-winning team.
‘You must believe that ultimately [the uncertainty] served as a significant advantage because I experienced the most statistically successful season of my career,’ Salah remarked with a smile.
‘The thought that this might be my final season here perhaps fueled my determination to maximize my efforts and secure the title I had vowed to win. My mindset was clear:
if the club chooses not to renew my contract, that is acceptable; I will strive to conclude my time here on a high note, ensuring I depart with dignity.’