Mohamed Salah turned down the chance to pocket well more than half a billion dollars in Saudi Arabia by committing to a new contract at Liverpool.
Salah‘s new deal was confirmed on Friday, as he signed a two-year extension to keep him at the club until the summer of 2027. It put an end to months of speculation surrounding the Egypt international’s future and also ended the possibility of Liverpool losing three key players on free transfers this summer.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is still expected to leave for Real Madrid, but Virgil van Dijk is set to follow in Salah’s footsteps in penning a renewal, which is also expected to keep him on Merseyside until 2027.
In signing a new contract with Liverpool, Salah turned down the chance to earn significantly more money in the Saudi Pro League. The BBC reports that the 32-year-old was set earn at least £500 million ($654 million) in the Middle East. However, Salah made the decision to put sporting ambition ahead of financial gain as he wants to keep chasing the biggest prizes in soccer, both as an individual and with his team.
He still harbors ambitions of winning the Ballon d’Or, after his chances of coming out on top in the 2025 edition of the award nosedived following Liverpool’s Champions League exit last month. That is also a competition that Salah wants to win again with Liverpool, having previously got his hands on the trophy in 2019.
The likelihood is that the opportunity to move to Saudi Arabia will still be on the table in the future, but for now, Salah wants to continue to compete at the highest level in European soccer.
(Image: 2025 Visionhaus)
Meanwhile, Liverpool is reportedly intent on signing Alexander Isak from Newcastle this summer, despite the exorbitant fee that would be involved in getting a deal over the line. It would likely cost close to $200 million to tempt Newcastle to sell, but TBR Football says Liverpool believes Salah’s new contract at Anfield could inspire Isak to want to move to Anfield.
Isak is contracted to Newcastle until 2028, but the Magpies are keen to reward the Sweden international with an improved deal that reflects his standing in the squad. Newcastle is reportedly willing to break its wage structure in order to tie Isak to a new deal. At the moment, Bruno Guimaraes is Newcastle’s top earner on $196,000 a week, and Isak’s weekly wage is said to be nowhere near that amount.
Champions League qualification will also be key to convincing Isak that his long-term future lies in the North East, and Eddie Howe’s men are in a good position to secure the top-five finish that will secure their place in that competition next season.
