Assessing Liverpool’s Potential Loss if Mohamed Salah Departs

Mohamed Salah has informed journalists that he is “probably more out than in” while awaiting a contract offer from Liverpool to retain his services. The prolific forward’s current agreement expires in the summer, making him eligible to sign a pre-contract with another team starting in January. Salah has expressed being “disappointed” by the club’s failure to present him with a new deal, yet he also conveyed his desire to prolong his seven-year tenure with the Reds. But what exactly would the Reds forfeit should the ‘Egyptian King’ depart from Anfield? Simply put – a substantial amount. Salah currently ranks fifth on Liverpool’s all-time leading goal scorers list, having netted 223 goals in 367 matches. He is surpassed by Ian Rush (346), Roger Hunt (285), Gordon Hodgson (241), and Billy Liddell (228). Given his performance this season, where he stands as the club’s top scorer with 12 goals, it is anticipated he will ascend further on that list before the conclusion of the campaign. The 32-year-old’s statistics since his £34m transfer from Roma are notably impressive. According to Opta, since Salah’s Premier League debut for Liverpool on 12 August 2017, he has recorded the most appearances in the league for the Reds (262), trailing solely behind Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford across all clubs. With his 165 league goals, Salah has scored more than any other player during that period and is narrowly surpassed by Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne for assists, with 74. His minutes-per-goal ratio of 132 matches that of former Tottenham striker Harry Kane, while he leads in penalties scored in the league (28). Furthermore, his four hat-tricks represent the highest number among any other Liverpool player in that timeframe. Salah’s capacity to score crucial goals is unparalleled, having converted the highest number of big chances in the top flight at 122 – 23 more than the next best performer, Kane. This season alone, his contributions through goals and assists have generated 17 points for Liverpool, surpassing all other players in the division. Further demonstrating his clinical finishing and the caliber of his opportunities, his expected goals (xG) of 157 in the league since his debut is, notably, the highest of any individual – despite being surpassed by his actual goal tally. It would be challenging to find another player who could replicate these statistics for an extended period, and, given the current market, it would be difficult for the club to avoid substantial spending to find a replacement.