Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah said he plans to enjoy the final year of his Liverpool contract before deciding his future amid continued speculation regarding an eventual move to Saudi Arabia.
Salah signed a new three-year deal with Liverpool in 2022 which reportedly made him the highest-paid player in the club's history, worth more than £18 million ($23.75m) a year.
It's a contract that reflects Salah's status at the Premier League club, whom he joined in 2017 and has since written himself into the history books, scoring 213 goals and playing an instrumental role in the Reds' success, including a first Premier League title in 2020 and a Uefa Champions League triumph the previous season.
Salah is one of three high-profile players out of contract next summer, with the futures of defender Virgil van Dijk and full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold also unresolved.
“I don’t think much to be fair. I think, with time, a bit more wisdom I would say," Salah said when asked by Sky Sports how he handles contract negotiations. "Before the season, I was just like, ‘I’ve got one year left so let’s just enjoy it and don’t think about the contract now’.
“I don’t think about anything and I really just enjoy it. I don’t want to think about next year. I don’t want to think about the future, just ‘OK, let’s enjoy the last year [of my contract] and we’ll see’. The most important thing is to take one day at a time and just be grateful to be here.”
Liverpool v Brentford player ratings
Salah's refusal to verbally commit his future to Liverpool will no doubt concern the club's fans while also leading to renewed rumours about a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League.
Jeddah club Al Ittihad had a bid worth a reported £150m rejected for the Egyptian forward last summer, and there is sure to be interest in Salah from the Saudi Pro League next year, particularly if he is available on a free transfer.
Liverpool have entered a new era following the exit of manager Jurgen Klopp after seven successful years, but it's been so far so good under new coach Arne Slot with two wins from two to start the Premier League season.
Salah has started brightly with a goal in each game. His goal in the 2-0 win over Ipswich Town was his ninth in a season-opening game to set a new record.
Since moving to Anfield from Roma, Salah has established himself as one of the best players in English and European football. His 2017/18 season will go down as one of the finest debut campaigns in history as the Egyptian scored 44 goals in all competitions and won the first of his three Premier League Golden Boots.
UAE-based players
Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim
Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
4pm: Maiden; Dh165,000 (Dirt); 1,400m
Winner: Solar Shower; William Lee (jockey); Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
4.35pm: Handicap; Dh165,000 (D); 2,000m
Winner: Thaaqib; Antonio Fresu; Erwan Charpy.
5.10pm: Maiden; Dh165,000 (Turf); 1,800m
Winner: Bila Shak; Adrie de Vries; Fawzi Nass
5.45pm: Handicap; Dh175,000 (D); 1,200m
Winner: Beachcomber Bay; Richard Mullen; Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Handicap; Dh205,000 (T); 1,800m
Winner: Muzdawaj; Jim Crowley; Musabah Al Muhairi
6.55pm: Handicap; Dh185,000 (D); 1,600m
Winner: Mazeed; Tadhg O’Shea; Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap; Dh205,000 (T); 1,200m
Winner: Riflescope; Tadhg O’Shea; Satish Seemar.
