Mohamed Salah has finally put Liverpool fans at rest by penning a new two-year deal with the Merseyside club.
But the Egyptian King, who joined from Serie A side Roma in 2017, had ambitions of joining the Reds since he was a young boy playing with the team on his PlayStation.
Speaking to CNN six years ago, Salah revealed Liverpool’s status as a ‘huge club’ was important to him in his home country in the Middle East.
“It’s a big club,” Salah said. “Everyone knows the club in the Middle East. It’s a huge club, so everyone knows it.
“When I was a kid, I was playing on the PlayStation with Liverpool. I know the club of course.”
Salah added that he ‘loves’ the fans and the city of Liverpool who have come to adore the 32-year-old winger.
Micah Richards – who played with Salah at Fiorentina in 2015 – also revealed that it was always the Egyptian’s ‘dream’ to play for Liverpool.
Speaking on BBC Match of the Day, Richards said: “Salah, we talk about him so many times – he’s breathtaking. When I say he’s breathtaking it’s not because he has a great game all the time, but he scores, he’s clinical and he punishes you all the time.
“I remember when I was at Fiorentina with him, he always said his dream was to play for Liverpool.
“He’s living out his dream now and he’s doing amazingly well.”
The extension secures Salah for a further two years beyond this season – a campaign in which he is on track to win the Premier League Golden Boot having scored 27 goals so far, as well as lifting a potential record-equalling 20th league title for the club.
The news of his deal came on Friday morning, with the club posting a statement which read: “Liverpool FC can announce Mohamed Salah has signed a new contract that will keep him with the club beyond the 2024-25 season.
“The forward, who is enjoying another stellar campaign for the Reds, has committed his future by putting pen to paper on the deal.”
It continued: “And today’s news means Salah will extend an eight-year stay at Anfield into the future and continue to help Arne Slot’s team challenge for the game’s biggest honours.”
Speaking to the club, Salah said: “Of course I’m very excited. We have a great team now. Before also we had a great team. But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football.
“It’s great, I had my best years here. I played eight years, hopefully it’s going to be 10. Enjoying my life here, enjoying my football. I had the best years in my career.
“I would like to say to [the fans], I am very, very happy to be here. I signed here because I believe we can win a lot of big trophies together. Keep supporting us and we’ll give it our best, and hopefully in the future we’re going to win more trophies.”
talkSPORT understands the Liverpool star has signed a deal worth £400,000-a-week including bonuses.
It extends Salah’s Liverpool tenure to entire decade of success at Anfield in a time which has has cemented him as one of the all-time Premier League greats.
Since joining, Salah has won one Premier League title, one FA Cup, two League Cups, a Champions League, a UEFA Super Cup and a Club World Cup – all of these join a long list of personal accolades for Salah, too.
It comes after months of speculation over the Egypt international’s future, with Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold also the subject of transfer rumours.
Whilst Van Dijk appears to be joining Salah in signing a new deal, 26-year-old Alexander-Arnold is closing in on a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid as talks have advanced.
Liverpool are top of the table and lead second-placed Arsenal by 11 points with seven games left to play.
Arne Slot’s side face West Ham on Sunday knowing victory will push them closer to the 20th league title in their history.
