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For Liverpool, the closure of the Saudi transfer window could not have come soon enough. After their midfield rebuild plans went for a toss, they could not have afforded to lose Mohamed Salah so late in the transfer window.
Following the unexpected departures of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, they were already scrambling for midfield options. Losing Salah would have been a death knell to their ambitions this season.
Despite low pre-season expectations, Klopp still believes his side is capable of challenging City for the Premier League title. And for that, he’ll need Salah now more than ever.
But, what if Liverpool were to lose Salah in the January transfer window this season? And if they do, would it be the end of the world for the Reds? Let’s take a look at how the Reds could profit from Salah’s sale in January 2024.
#1 £200m transfer value
The Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-based clubs are not the ones to let go of a player they truly want. For them, the trillion-dollar Fund ensures an adequate supply of funds. Hence, it is only a matter of time before they lure their target with a giant paycheck.
If they could spend more than £200m for Ronaldo, who is way beyond his prime, they could certainly spend more than £200m for Salah, who is still one of the best players in the world. Such an offer for a 31-year-old with only two years left on his contract would be pretty hard to resist for Liverpool.
Fenway Sports Group have always been accused of putting business over football. However, one can’t deny the fact that FSG have backed Klopp’s decisions more than anything else.
Even though Liverpool have not spent as astronomically as Chelsea and PSG, they have done well to build a squad that could destroy any opponent on their day.
While declining such an exorbitant fee for Salah was right, things could change drastically in January. Liverpool could potentially gain £250m in transfer fees and wages from Salah’s departure.
Liverpool can potentially build a squad for the future with this much money, without having to worry about the transfer fee for the perfect target.
In January 2018, the Reds let Philippe Coutinho join Barcelona after a £142m transfer offer from Barcelona. That money laid the foundation for Liverpool’s success over the years as Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson Becker helped them win every major trophy Liverpool contested in recent times.
A similar thing could happen if the Reds consider selling Salah for the right amount of money. The Reds have operated smartly in the transfer window in recent times. So, there is no reason why they won’t be able to target better players this time around too.
#2 Salah’s contract situation
For clubs, letting players move on to the final year of their contract is not a healthy scenario. If the player wants to move, then the club has no choice but to sell them at a knockdown price.
The players, meanwhile, could hugely benefit from such a scenario since they can either run down their contract or move on to their favored club at a reasonable price. That way, they can extract huge wages from their new employers.
Right now, Salah has a two-year deal at Anfield. But, all this could change once he enters the final year of his contract next summer. While he has not shown any interest in leaving Anfield until now, anything can happen in a year’s time.
If Liverpool wishes to avoid this scenario, they could cash in on Salah if the right offer arrives in January itself. They have ample time between now and then to look for a replacement. It could be a win-win scenario for both the parties.
#3 Time for a replacement
For all his talent and commitment to the club, Salah will turn 32 by the time next season rolls in. With the Reds focusing more and more on the younger generation to lead the charge, he is becoming more of an exception.
In the past, the Reds quickly moved on from players who were either getting old or had no intention to spend a considerable amount of their future at Merseyside. The likes of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Gini Wijnaldum were let go because they had one eye on the future.
While Salah, perhaps, has been the best player Liverpool ever had, holding on to him would not make much sense in the long run. Attackers tend to decline quickly because with time, they lose their pace and agility.
Even though Salah has still not lost much of his ability and has remained injury-free most of the time, it will be difficult for him to keep going at this pace. The Reds have already rebuilt their attack by acquiring Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, and Luis Diaz. Letting Salah leave could prove to be a blessing in disguise.
What happens to Liverpool if Salah leaves in January?
For starters, Salah's departure in January majorly depends on Liverpool's Premier League standing at that time. If Klopp's side remains on course for the Premier League title, there is no way Salah would be sold in January.
However, if Liverpool's title charge falls apart between now and January, then the club might be tempted to cash in on him. Even Salah would be tempted to earn a truckload of money in the Saudi Pro League without having to put in too much effort.
Besides, how Liverpool handles the departure of the Egyptian matters a lot too. They have sufficient time between now and January to look for a replacement. So, if they plan well, they could replace him in January while also having an adequate supply of money for future rebuilds.
But unless the new signing hits the ground running, Liverpool will suffer to deliver results on the pitch. They could also fail to qualify for the Champions League next season too. However, in the long run, their future would be bright as long as they utilize the funds generated by Salah's sale to good effect.
