Mohamed Salah, the 32-year-old Egyptian striker (33 next June) whose contract with Liverpool expires next June, has been rumored to be in the sights of Paris Saint-Germain several times in recent years. This Monday, L’Equipe asserts that next summer could be the right one.
“There is now a good chance that he will end up at Paris-Saint-Germain.
“A source is categorical: “The two parties have been talking for a long time already. Except that this time, Mohamed Salah has opened the door. There’s now a good chance he’ll end up at Paris-Saint-Germain.”
“The club has an asset: Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and Salah know each other personally.”
Information denied on the PSG side: “It’s not true,” we were told by the club. Parisian decision-makers see it as a strategy on the Egyptian’s part to put pressure on Liverpool and negotiate a new lease. But it has also happened before that Paris denies a report and the player ends up signing.
The club has one advantage: Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and Salah know each other personally. In particular, the Egyptian has been a consultant for beIN Sports on certain international tournaments.”
It’s hard to get your head around an article in a newspaper that has a source saying that it’s well advanced, but also already a denial from PSG. As we all know, there’s nothing simple about the mercato, with announcements slipped in by agents or clubs and denials that only serve to work quietly.
Salah in Paris is certainly not something to be put off. The Parisian team needs decisive players, and he’s clearly one of them, with another exceptional season under his belt (12 goals and 10 assists in 18 games).
Of course, this is a little out of keeping with the project of building young talent. But we shouldn’t close the door on all the great players just for the sake of it. We’re still sticking to the idea of the collective above all else, and Salah is used to that. He’s not a “star” who attracts everything to himself.
Now, we remain very cautious. All the fuss may simply serve to extend his contract. But with the possibility of signing in January and coming in June, it’s something to keep an eye on.
