Mo Salah is reportedly closing in on a contract which will break FSG’s golden rule at Liverpool.
Salah, the favourite to win the PFA Player of the Year award and a leading Ballon d’Or contender after 32 goals and 22 assists, is out of contract in the summer and his situation has dominated much of the headlines this season.
Back in November, in a shock interview in the mixed zone after a win over Southampton, Salah worried Liverpool fans when he said he hadn’t “received any offers yet to stay in the club” and was “probably more out than in”.
Yet unlike Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is closing in on a move to Real Madrid, the Egyptian star looks set to extend his eight-year stay at Anfield.
A bombshell was dropped by multiple Liverpool reporters on Wednesday, with Paul Joyce of The Times claiming that Salah is closing in on an agreement to extend with the Premier League leaders.
Fabrizio Romano also added that positive progress had been made with Salah negotiations, with an agreement “at the final stages”.
Lewis Steele of the Daily Mail also weighed in, stating that although details on the mooted length of contract are scarce, sources believes a two-year extension is most likely.
Such a deal would go against the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) contract policy of not offering extensions to those over the age of 30.
However they look set to make an exception for Salah, who is still in fine shape and going strong at 32.
Captain Virgil van Dijk will turn 34 in July but he is also set to remain on Merseyside after a positive breakthrough in contract discussions.
An agreement for the Dutchman would also go against Liverpool’s previous rules on players on their books in their 30s, an approach which was implemented by Michael Edwards during his spell as sporting director between 2016 and 2022.
After a stint at Bournemouth, Edwards became chief executive of football at FSG in the summer.
Van Dijk gives update on contract situation
Following the 3-2 loss to Fulham on Sunday, Van Dijk was asked about whether there has been movement on the contract front – replying, “There is progress, yeah”.
Quizzed if that meant he would be staying, he said, “I don’t know we’ll see”.
Liverpool return to action on Sunday when they take on West Ham at Anfield, hoping to bounce back with a victory that will move them closer to the title.
