Paul Joyce has seemingly suggested that Mohamed Salah’s words after the win at Old Trafford on Sunday was not on a whim by the 32-year-old.

Liverpool’s 2024/25 season has started with a bang, but the Egyptian cast a slight shadow over celebrations.

Following Liverpool’s commanding 3-0 win over the Red Devils, in which Salah played a crucial role with a goal and two assists, the Egyptian forward was uncharacteristically raw with the media.

Now in the final year of his contract, he hinted that this could be his final season at Anfield:

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“Nobody at the club has spoken to me yet about a new contract,” he said post-United.

“So I just play this last season and then see at the end of the season.”

The lack of communication between Salah and the club regarding a new deal is particularly concerning given the forward’s significance to Liverpool.

Since signing his last contract in 2022, which made him the highest-paid player in the club’s history, Salah has continued to deliver exceptional performances.

He remains one of the Premier League’s most prolific attackers, and his performance against Manchester United serves as a stern reminder to the level in which he still plays at.

Previous reports from Fabrizio Romano and Sky Sports have maintained that the Egyptian wants to remain at Anfield.

Now Paul Joyce believes that Mohamed Salah’s actions have not been without a gameplan.

How does Paul Joyce view the Mohamed Salah contract situation?

Salah’s situation is further complicated by the broader context at Liverpool, where other key players like Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also nearing the end of their contracts.

The club’s ownership and new sporting director Richard Hughes have a critical task ahead in addressing these expiring deals to ensure stability within the squad.

Joyce notes on Salah’s words from Sunday for The Times:

“A few days earlier, Salah had also spoken to Sky Sports in a preview interview to the game, during which he was also asked about his future.”

“He said then that he was not thinking about his deal ending.

Five days later his decision to reveal that talks had yet to begin in earnest was as deliberate as the finish he steered from Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass beyond André Onana.”

“In between the two interviews, Liverpool signed Federico Chiesa from Juventus for £10million and he will provide competition to Salah for a role on the right-hand side.”

“Perhaps that played a small part in Salah deciding to remind everyone that the unthinkable is on the horizon.”

“There is no doubt that Liverpool would not have wanted Salah to go public as he did, but, in many respects, it should be music to their ears.”

“Here was the team’s talisman essentially saying he wants a new deal.”

It almost feels like it was call to that the Liverpool hierarchy to get themselves – else his warning would turn into reality.

But as Joyce notes – if the Egyptian is essentially using the media to put pressure on the club, it means he wants to stay.

Instability in key Liverpool sporting positions a contributing factor

The sporting director role at Liverpool has gone through plenty of change in the past few years.

Liverpool have had four different sporting directors in just two years – and has resulted in no -one really tackling these difficult contract renewals.

Paul Joyce writes:

Instability behind the scenes at Liverpool has not helped that situation.

“Julian Ward’s short-lived reign as sporting director ended in the summer of 2023 and resulted in a stop-gap replacement in Jörg Schmadtke”

“Soon after Klopp decided he would be leaving at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, prompting the overhaul that led to the former sporting director Michael Edwards taking up a role as chief executive of football for the club’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, and the appointment of Hughes.”

“Their focus was, in the first instance, identifying the new head coach in Slot, securing his arrival and aiding the transition on the football side.”

Even aside from what is mentioned, the office room figures at Anfield also had their hands full with the transfer window.

Perhaps judgement should only be passed at the end of the year -as Liverpool have some months to work with until then.

But what is clear is that if the Egyptian’s future is not sorted out one way or another by January, it would not be a good look for the new sporting executives and directors.

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