Back page The summer of 2022 always looked like being one of change at Liverpool Football Club, with there only so long that stability and continuity can be set in stone before even the sturdiest of foundations begin to crumble.
In sporting circles, contracts often dictate how long that process will take.
Successful clubs will always find it easier to get fresh terms thrashed out, with there no logical reason for anybody to walk away from a winning cause. There comes a point, though, when there is nothing left for certain individuals to achieve.
In the case of Sadio Mane, six years on Anfield had made him a Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, Super Cup, Club World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations winner.
Silver lining
He could have stuck around and chased down more major honours, with football betting pricing Liverpool at 11/5 for another title triumph in 2022/23. The latest football betting tips will remain firmly in the Reds’ favour when new quests for domestic and continental glory are opened.
Mane, though, had been there, done it and collected enough t-shirts to make the allure of something new ever more appealing. Rather than turning out on Merseyside, his considerable skill set will now be on show in Munich.
🏆 Premier League champion
⏱ Fastest hat-trick in #PL history
⚽️ 111 PL goals (90 – @LFC, 21 – @SouthamptonFC)
🥇 3x Player of the MonthIncredible achievements in the #PL, Sadio Mane! 🇸🇳 pic.twitter.com/BZpzDKNrUX
— Premier League (@premierleague) June 22, 2022
In contrast, Mohamed Salah has decided that now is not the time to uproot and go chasing a dream somewhere else, with the Egyptian superstar extending his association with Liverpool for another three years.
His ongoing presence is most welcome, especially as Roberto Firmino – the third wheel in a fabled striking triumvirate – is into the final 12 months of his own deal as exit talk begins to build around him. The Brazilian forward’s days at Anfield are now very much numbered.
A new era for Liverpool is now being ushered in when it comes to prominent figures in the final third of the field. Salah remains very much a talismanic presence, but a couple of trusted accomplices are no longer by his side.
In their place stands the likes of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, with Jurgen Klopp having worked hard in recent transfer windows to ensure that the passing of the torch is made as comfortable as possible. He always knew that a day would come in which he needed to freshen up the ranks.
Shrewd business
Value has continued to be found in a notoriously difficult market, with Jota and Diaz making themselves at home quicker than anybody could have imagined. The hope is that the latest big-money addition to have strolled through the doors will tread a similar path.
Mohamed Salah signs a new contract with Liverpool until 2025 🔴 pic.twitter.com/BsSOvigciu
— GOAL (@goal) July 1, 2022
Plenty of assistance is on hand to ensure that will be the case, with anybody filling a No.9 role for the Reds set to see their quest for goals aided considerably by the creative talents of Salah, Diaz, Thiago Alcantara, Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson.
The seamless transition has been made from one addition to the next over recent years, with Liverpool reaping the rewards on the trophy front, and the hope now is that Darwin’s theory of evolution continues throughout 2022-23 and for many years to come.
