Liverpool face a potential challenge if Mohamed Salah signs a new contract, which they are hoping he will. The club is currently in talks with Salah’s representatives to secure a new deal for their star goalscorer.
In his eighth season at Anfield, Salah has been in outstanding form, with 16 goals and 13 assists in just 23 appearances. If he adds 15 more goals this season, he will become Liverpool’s third-highest all-time goalscorer.
Off the pitch, the Liverpool hierarchy is keen to keep him for the remainder of his prime years, and Salah has made it clear he wants to continue playing in front of the Kop. If an agreement is reached, however, the club will need to plan for next season, particularly considering a looming issue: the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will occur in the middle of the season.
AFCON will run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, overlapping with a busy period for Liverpool, which will include eight matches—six in the Premier League, one in the Carabao Cup, and one in the FA Cup—plus a Champions League fixture shortly after.
In the 2023 AFCON, Salah missed five matches due to the tournament and struggled with fitness upon his return, which could be a concern if he participates again.
Given Salah’s current form, Liverpool manager Arne Slot will need to plan for his absence and potential fatigue compared to other players. The future of Liverpool’s attack is uncertain, with key forwards such as Darwin Núñez, Luis Díaz, and Diogo Jota all having contracts expiring in the summer of 2026. These factors complicate Liverpool’s long-term planning as they aim to secure Salah, captain Virgil van Dijk, and influential player Trent Alexander-Arnold.
For now, Salah and his attacking colleagues, Núñez, Díaz, and Jota, are focused on helping Liverpool compete for trophies in Slot’s first season. Díaz has contributed nine goals and three assists, Jota has five and two, and Núñez has four goals and three assists.
However, it’s Salah who remains the standout star, and Slot will need to ensure his teammates continue to contribute to ease the reliance on the Egyptian forward, especially in the event of his absence in the future.
