Ian Doyle takes you behind the scenes at the AXA Training Centre after Mohamed Salah’s new Liverpool contract was announced
Virgil van Dijk was walking up the steps at the AXA Training Centre when the large television in reception caught his eye. And among the images flashing along the screen, one in particular drew that attention of the Liverpool skipper.
“Oh look, Mo has signed a new deal!” grinned Van Dijk before heading off towards the canteen for a spot of breakfast.
It was that kind of Friday morning around the facility in Kirkby with the news an hour or so earlier that Mohamed Salah had put pen to paper on a contract that extends his Anfield commitment to 2027.
Van Dijk subsequently neatly sidestepped offbeat enquires about his own future. But the smile on his face as he wandered off, allied to his revelation at the start of the week that progress had been made over contract talks, spoke volumes.
The feelgood factor could be felt throughout the building, with one Liverpool coaching staff member declaring “what a day to be late!” to those journalists compelled to loiter outside the room as Arne Slot held court.
For his part, the Reds boss sported a beaming smile as he made his way towards the press conference, armed with the news he was now keen to discuss having fielded a stream of questions over Salah’s future during the course of the season.
With 32 goals and 22 assists in all competitions, the Egyptian is favourite to sweep a number of individual awards. The priority, though, is the Premier League, with Liverpool hoping to take a step nearer the title when they entertain West Ham United on Sunday – against whom Salah has scored 13 times in 17 appearances for the Reds.
We are always trying to achieve a bit more as a team and individuals,” says Slot. “But if you are playing at Liverpool, probably you are close to coming to the maximum of your ability.
“There is not a lot of room for improvement for Mo and the other players. I saw a quote: We are trying to reach perfection, which we will never reach, but we reach excellence on the way. That is what we are trying to get here, to get the maximum from the players, to get 1 or 2% extra. But it is clear that Mo is coming close to the end (maximum) of his ability.
“We have brought the maximum out of his qualities this season and then it is about consistency, which is one of the most difficult things in football. That is why he is seen as such a star player.
To play once or twice the way Mo does, I’m not saying everyone can, but most players can. To do this on such a consistent basis makes it so hard, and then I come back to the mentality part.
Characteristically, though, Slot played a straight bat when fielding questions on Van Dijk. “We talk about contracts if they are signed, so we talk about Mo!” he says. “I am very happy with Virgil this season, he has been incredible for us.
“Even the last few games where maybe some moments where he can do better, if you look at the other 89 minutes, such an important player. Let’s hope he can be our leader again as he always has been this season against West Ham.”
Elsewhere, Slot played down the decision to substitute Ibrahima Konate for the more attack-minded Conor Bradley during the second half of last Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League defeat at Fulham despite the centre-back experiencing a difficult first half.
“For me, if I take Konate out for another centre-back, that tells you I was not happy with his game or he is injured,” he says. “Ibou has improved on the ball this season, not that he has bad, he was a France international who played in the World Cup final!
“To take him off (at Fulham), it was for sure for a player who can score a bit more easier than Ibou can. Taking him off at Fulham has nothing to do with where he is at. It was about being 3-2 down and taking more risks to score and we created quite a lot, so it did work out in terms of chance creation but not scoring.”