Liverpool star Mohamed Salah’s new contract leaves the Egyptian international on track to bring up a decade at Anfield. It’s a far cry from the prediction made by Gary Neville in 2019, when the pundit suggested Salah would be long gone by now.
Salah, the top scorer in the Premier League as Liverpool chase their second title, had been the subject of plenty of speculation over his future as he entered the final few months of his contract. However, he has committed his future to the Reds after putting pen to paper on a new deal.
Back in August 2019, Salah didn’t even have one Premier League title as a Liverpool player. Perhaps for this reason, Neville anticipated the former Roma man looking to move to pastures new.
Speaking on Sky Sports‘ Big Season debate to mark the start of the 2019-20 season, Neville backed his former club Manchester United to win the league again before Liverpool achieved the feat. Of course, he was quickly left with egg on his face when Jurgen Klopp led the Reds to glory that very season.
This week, though, some Liverpool fans have paid more attention to what Neville said about Salah. The Egypt star top-scored in that title win, and needs just four more goals to pass former United star Andy Cole and climb to fourth on the Premier League’s all-time scorers list – six years after Neville predicted his exit.
“Salah’s going to leave in the next 12 months, I can see it already,” Neville said. When fellow panelist Jamie Carragher accused the former right-back of being obsessed with Liverpool, he doubled down.
“Salah will leave, he will, I can absolutely guarantee it,” Neville continued amid Carragher’s protests. “I can see it, you can feel it, you can smell it, you know it.”
Not only did Salah stay beyond 2020, but he has helped Liverpool win more trophies than United in the six years since Neville’s comments. Liverpool are closing in on a second league title to go along with three domestic cups, while United can only point to the two cup final wins they achieved under Erik ten Hag.
Speaking after committing his future to Liverpool, Salah also suggested he’s confident there is more to come. “We have a great team now. Before also we had a great team. But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football,” he said.
“It’s great, I had my best years here. I played eight years, hopefully it’s going to be 10. Enjoying my life here, enjoying my football. I had the best years in my career.
“I would like to say to [the fans], I am very, very happy to be here. I signed here because I believe we can win a lot of big trophies together. Keep supporting us and we’ll give it our best, and hopefully in the future we’re going to win more trophies.”
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