How Will Mohamed Salah’s Contract Impact Liverpool’s Transfer Plans? – Opinion | OneFootball

Salah’s Renewal Offers Liverpool Stability, But the Work Is Far From Over

In a season that may yet culminate in Liverpool’s 20th league title, the club has taken a decisive step toward stability and continuity with Mohamed Salah signing a new two-year contract extension. As the Premier League’s most consistent wide forward of the last half-decade, Salah’s brilliance has rarely been in question. But now, with his future confirmed beyond 2025, Liverpool can begin to shape a team that not only maximises his output—but evolves with him at the centre of it.

Sporting CEO Michael Edwards and Director of Football Richard Hughes have made the forward’s retention a clear statement of intent. Arne Slot, too, sees Salah as vital to the early stages of his Liverpool reign. The Egyptian King remains the Reds’ most productive player and is expected to transition into an even more nuanced role as Liverpool’s next cycle begins to form around him.

Photo: IMAGO

A Tactical Pillar for Slot’s Next Phase

Salah’s goalscoring consistency speaks for itself, but his technical quality, defensive commitment, and intelligence between the lines have arguably improved with age. Arne Slot, who inherited a Liverpool side built largely around vertical chaos and transitional power, now has the opportunity to shape a more control-based system with Salah as a primary tactical pillar.

With rumours intensifying that Trent Alexander-Arnold will leave when his contract expires in 2025, Liverpool faces the prospect of losing one of their most creative and unique weapons, something which must be addressed from a production point of view. Replacing that level of invention will be no easy task, but Salah’s versatility may offer part of the solution, or at least allow a move forward with differing patterns of play. Mo’s evolution into more of a playmaker—particularly when drifting infield—has been evident this season, and without Alexander-Arnold to dominate right-sided zones, Salah may become even more involved in Liverpool’s buildup.

That shift would require smart recruitment: not just to replace Trent, but to support Salah with intelligent runners, overlapping options, and midfielders who understand his movement patterns. If built correctly, the next iteration of this Liverpool side could empower Salah not just as a scorer—but as the team’s creative nucleus.

Supplementing Greatness With Firepower

If there’s one consistent criticism of Liverpool’s attack this season, it’s the lack of an elite-level striker who both occupies centre-backs and opens up space for wide forwards. Darwin Núñez has offered chaos, but not control; Diogo Jota has provided intelligence, but not enough penalty-box presence with a variation of injuries and poor form plaguing his season.

Salah’s numbers have remained elite despite that. Imagine what they could look like with a striker who consistently demands double coverage, who pins defences back, and who finishes with ruthless regularity. That’s the type of addition Edwards and Hughes must now pursue—someone in the mould of a prime Harry Kane, with the movement and technical touch to harmonise with Salah’s strengths.

The goal isn’t just to reduce Salah’s burden—it’s to unleash a version of him that hasn’t yet been fully realised. With the right No.9 in place, Salah could find more freedom between the lines, more cutback opportunities, and a platform from which to age gracefully into a role that emphasises orchestration as much as execution.

From Contract Clarity to Squad Cohesion

Securing Salah’s future is a win in itself, but it also places greater pressure on Liverpool’s decision-makers to build smartly around him. With Van Dijk also set to extend, the club now has two pillars of experience and excellence to stabilise the dressing room. But the future remains in flux.

Trent’s likely exit will force a shift in Liverpool’s creative identity. That makes the 2025 summer window arguably the most important of the Edwards-Hughes-Slot era so far. It’s not simply about buying talent—it’s about reshaping the tactical DNA of a team that will soon need to win without one of the most unique full-backs of his generation.

In Salah, Liverpool has chosen continuity. Now they must build a cast worthy of his final prime years—and ensure his legacy is matched by silverware, structure, and sustained excellence.