'Salah Always Wanted To Stay, Mane Was Reluctant': Pearce Breaks Down Contract Extension And Bayern Transfer

Mohamed Salah signed a contract extension with Liverpool that will see him stay at the club until 2025. Meanwhile, Sadio Mane was sold to Bayern Munich a couple of weeks ago.

Writing for The Athletic, James Pearce was asked: "Sadio Mane did LFC a favour saying he wasn’t extending early so we could make some money on him?"

He explained the situation regarding Mane's sale and Salah's extension: "I wouldn’t say Mane did Liverpool a favour, it was just the way things turned out.

"The situation with Salah was different because the Egyptian always wanted to stay but only if he got a contract offer which he felt recognised his status in world football. In contrast, Mane was reluctant to hold talks over a new deal.

"His head was turned by the offer of a new challenge and a bumper pay rise at Bayern Munich. He left on good terms and rightly so because he gave Liverpool six years of brilliant service.

"Mane could have sat tight and left on a free in 2023 but he didn’t want to wait and Liverpool ultimately got what they wanted from Bayern with that £35 million deal.

"One thing Liverpool had to avoid was losing Mane and Salah in the same window. That would have left a huge void. Salah would have stayed put this summer, regardless of his new deal.

"With the signings of Jota, Diaz and Nunez, we’re seeing the gradual evolution of Klopp’s frontline but Salah is still the main man."

As Pearce explains, Mane's 'head was turned' for quite some time and the player said so himself - when he heard of Bayern's interest, he wanted a new challenge.

Salah finally felt the offer from Liverpool was good enough for him and ended up staying here. Hopefully, both deals work out well for the Reds.

Source: The Athletic