Mo Salah made secret pact with Arne Slot before the season that helped Liverpool win Premier League title
MO SALAH and Arne Slot made the secret pact that took Liverpool to the title and made him Player of the Year.
The campaign began with Anfield shrouded in doubts – especially over whether Salah would sign a new deal and how Slot might handle the strain of being Jurgen Klopp’s successor.
But Salah revealed how he was certain he could make the Dutchman a Prem champ in exchange for a pledge from the new manager.
Slot kept his word and so did the Kop’s Egyptian king as he reveals how over a series of discussions between the pair he declared: “I was very honest.
“I told him: ‘with me, you are going to win the Premier League but I have to feel really comfortable with the way we play.’
“He was very honest with me, we had a few honest conversations and he said to me: ‘OK, I will get the best out of you. I will put you in a situation where you feel comfortable but I need you to provide the numbers’.”
Provide those numbers Salah, just crowned the Football Writers Association’s player of the year for a third time, certainly did.
In what became a cruise to the crown he has set a new Prem high for a 38 – game season of 28 goals and 18 assists.
He needs two more goal involvements in tomorrow’s last game of the season against Crystal Palace to claim history by overtaking the joint record of 47 held by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole set over 42 matches.
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What’s more Salah will spend at least two more seasons with Liverpool having agreed a near – £400,000 a week new deal when he admits that the one pre – season doubt he did have was whether the club would come up with the numbers to make him stay.
He explained: “There is always a time either now or later when it is going to happen (Salah leaving) but I love this club.
“I always wanted to stay but I know my value and I was waiting for the club to arrive to the right point where me and the club are both going to be happy so that’s why the contracts took so long.
“Based on the club history, because the club treated players of 30 or 31 in different ways I wasn’t clear in my head that I was going to stay 100 percent.”
Salah, who has equalled Thierry Henry’s record of three FWA awards, couldn’t be happier with the way it has all worked out for him – and for the former Feyenoord manager.
His content is based not only on his own personal pride over what he says was a “crazy season, a crazy year” but also on the warm respect he has developed for Slot.
The 32-year-old stresses: “It’s so special, I have a good relationship with him and I am very respectful towards him and his staff because we all work really hard.
“At the beginning, we had that conversation, he asked me for stuff he wanted me to do.
“I asked him and put me in the positions and situations where I can really provide numbers and our relationship is very good and it’s working well.
“And he has improved me, absolutely. Now he will have to deal with me a bit longer!
“I’ve always believed there’s always room to improve and I think he did it very well and you see the numbers this year and I feel very happy about it.
“I would give him half the credit and the other half to my teammates because they always help me in the situations to give me the ball or be at the right spot so they can pass the ball and I score.”
Salah also speaks warmly of the bond he has always had with the fans, even throughout a campaign of questions over whether he would go, or like skipper Virgil van Dijk, also sign on for another two years.
He says: “My relationship with the fans, I see it as very special.
“They see me as an honest guy and they could see that straight away.
“I think that’s why our relationship is special and that’s why they love me. I don’t hide the stuff, I always share.”
Having picked up the FWA prize at an awards dinner on Thursday night he can now look forward to an even brighter future with Slot – and makes another vow.
He says: “One game to go, I broke the record for 38 games so I am going to go fully focused for the last game and hopefully I can get two goals or assists.
“So I go again next year to break records again!”
There are no doubts for him that he can keep doing so either, even if he turns 33 next month.
The daddy of them all throughout Liverpool’s Prem history insists: “People need to realise that in the last five or ten years players start hitting their peak when they are 30 and upwards.
“When they have more experience and can manage their emotions and can provide big numbers.
“Football has changed now, people take care of themselves, if you try to do everything right you are going to play until you decide it’s time to retire.
“I said the other day I will probably play until I’m 39, 40 … until the kids tell you: ‘It’s OK, you leave football now and you stay with us!”
