Erik ten Hag hopes "one or two" of the Manchester United youngsters travelling with the senior side for pre-season can break into his squad for the new season, but he warned it will not be easy.

Ten Hag was appointed as successor to interim manager Ralf Rangnick in May after the German and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before him presided over a dreadful season that culminated in United finishing sixth.

Their points total of 58 was the worst United have ever recorded in the Premier League, while the 2021-22 campaign saw them fail to finish a league campaign with a positive goal difference for the first time in over 30 years.

That haul of 58 points was six fewer than David Moyes – and Ryan Giggs as his caretaker replacement – managed in the 2013-14 season, which was the first following Alex Ferguson's retirement.

With many players seemingly coming to the end of the road with United, all signs pointed towards a massive rebuild occurring over the transfer window; several signings were expected after Rangnick suggested they needed as many as 10, while there was an expectation some younger players would get a chance.

Things have not really gone to plan on the transfer front yet, with left-back Tyrell Malacia the only new face, but United did head out on their pre-season tour with a host of youngsters in the travelling party.

Charlie Savage, Zidane Iqbal, Alejandro Garnacho, Nathan Bishop, Matej Kovar, Ethan Laird, James Garner, Facundo Pellistri and Amad Diallo are all with United in Bangkok, waiting to stake their claims, but Ten Hag suggested they are probably not even aware of how hard they will need to work to impress him.

"What I want to see is that they learn but also they show themselves because they have to deserve a position in top football," Ten Hag told MUTV.

"You have to deserve your position. It means you have to deliver every day, that demands a certain style, a certain way of life that they have to adapt to, that they probably don't know yet.

"But I am really looking forward to seeing if they can do it.

"I hope one or two, they can prove themselves and they come into the squad but, if they want to enter the dressing room, they have to deserve it."

United will play their first pre-season match – and first under Ten Hag's stewardship – in Bangkok on Tuesday when they face bitter rivals Liverpool.

They are also due to face Melbourne Victory, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in pre-season, with the latter being Ten Hag's first game at Old Trafford on July 31.

It may feel like men's football has hardly been away, but Europe's top leagues are already into pre-season, meaning it promises to be a busy few weeks as teams ramp up preparations for the 2022-23 campaign.

Of course, pre-season is a little more compact this year because of the first ever mid-season World Cup, which is due to begin in November.

The World Cup's place in the calendar means the domestic season is starting earlier and finishing later than usual.

You can expect plenty of noteworthy games before the end of July. They may not mean a great deal in the grand scheme, but these games can offer a degree of intrigue, whether bitter rivals are facing each other or new signings are beginning their integration.

Below, Stats Perform has identified some notable matches that may be worth keeping tabs on before the end of the month.

Manchester United v Liverpool - July 12, 14:00 BST

Erik ten Hag's first match in charge of United will be against fierce rivals Liverpool in Bangkok on Tuesday. The Dutchman may not have made all the signings he would surely have liked before jetting out for pre-season, but seeing his new squad in action on the pitch for the first time may give him a better idea of what the club's transfer priorities should be.

RB Leipzig v Liverpool - July 21, 18:15 BST

The first of successive friendlies against 'Red Bull' clubs (they play Salzburg six days after this), and some Liverpool players will find themselves in familiar surroundings when they go to Leipzig. This should provide a good test of the Reds' fitness ahead of facing Manchester City in the Community Shield nine days later.

Bayern Munich v Manchester City - July 23, 00:00 BST

Pep Guardiola faces his former team in what will be the first ever soccer game played at the famous Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Arsenal v Chelsea - July 23, 01:00 BST

London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea are the main attractions in the Florida Cup, which confusingly is not just being played in the Sunshine State. However, the Gunners and Blues will be playing their contest in Orlando.

Tottenham v Roma - July 23, 19:15 BST

Spurs versus Jose Mourinho. Say no more.

Barcelona v Real Madrid - July 24, 04:00 BST

This Las Vegas clash will be by no means the first time Barca and Madrid have played a Clasico during pre-season. Their clashes are always worth watching, regardless of the stakes.

Bon diaaaaaaa!  pic.twitter.com/JdnE523QIs

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 9, 2022

Barcelona v Juventus - July 27, 01:00 BST

After tussling with Madrid in a Clasico, Barca face another European heavyweight in Juventus at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Arsenal v Sevilla - July 30, 12:30 BST

The Emirates Cup is usually a solid option for pre-season entertainment. Arsenal's visitors this year are Julen Lopetegui's Sevilla, who finished fourth in LaLiga last season.

Real Madrid v Juventus - July 31, 03:00 BST

Having signed Angel Di Maria and seemingly being about to announce Paul Pogba's arrival, Juventus will be under pressure to pose more of a threat in Serie A and Europe next season. In that case, who better to test themselves against than Champions League winners Madrid? This game will be played at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles.

Manchester United v Rayo Vallecano - July 31, 16:00 BST

This one may buck the trend in that it is not necessarily a clash between two current European high performers, but it is noteworthy as being Ten Hag's first Old Trafford game.

Jurgen Klopp was never worried about the prospect of losing both Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah because it was "always clear" the latter would stay at Liverpool.

Mane's Liverpool future came into question towards the end of the season, with rumours suggesting he was ready to leave with one year left on his contract.

In the end, his €41million (£35.2m) transfer to Bayern Munich went through quite quickly in June after Liverpool secured the signing of Darwin Nunez from Benfica.

But Mane's decision to leave did, at the time, cause concern among Liverpool fans because Salah also had only 12 months to run on his contract.

Media speculation suggested contract talks with Salah had been dragging on for a while, but it was finally announced on July 1 that the Egypt star signed a new deal that runs until June 2025.

Despite the seemingly protracted nature of the negotiations, Klopp insists he was always fairly relaxed regarding Salah's future.

"I knew it would happen, it was always clear Mo wants to stay – that was always the message," Klopp told Liverpool's official website.

"I spoke to him obviously and it was always clear: 'I want to stay.' But it's an important contract, different things have to be considered and that's what takes time sometimes.

"We cannot always fulfil the expectations from the outside world – 'there's an ending contract, next year it will end, so sort it now.'

"Things need time, but we are obviously experienced enough to deal with these kind of things. He is very happy now that he can extend his time here.

"We are very happy, a world-class player. Imagine you have to sign Mo Salah now; he's in another club and you want a player with the numbers he created over the years. It's pretty much not possible, but we have him and he wants to stay – very good news."

Klopp was eager to pay tribute to Mane once again, however.

He lauded the Senegal star as one of the Premier League's greatest players and expressed his gratitude for the amicable nature of Mane's parting of ways with the Reds.

"Sadio, what can we say about Sadio, hey? What a player, a world-class player," he continued.

"He and we together reinvented him as a No.9 as well in the last season, which he played outstandingly well.

"I like the way [the transfer] happened now because it was completely clean. We knew, he told us, his agent told us, they wanted to leave, they wanted to have a new challenge, find a new club.

"[It's] never easy negotiations – it's all good until we talk about money, but that worked then really well.

"So, as well a Liverpool legend, one of the all-time Premier League greats, I would say, with the numbers he has. A fantastic person as well.

"So, really happy for him that he is now at the club where he wants to be. He is very thankful for all the things we did, and we are very thankful. Now he is at another club."

Liverpool will face rivals Manchester United in their first pre-season friendly on Monday in Bangkok, Thailand.

Divock Origi is drawing inspiration from the feats of Milan striking greats Marco van Basten, Andriy Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi after joining the Serie A champions from Liverpool. 

Origi signed a four-year deal with the 2021-22 Scudetto winners on Tuesday, having enjoyed a trophy-laden eight-year stint at Anfield before departing on a free transfer.

The Belgium international scored 41 goals in 176 appearances as he earned cult-hero status at Liverpool, netting seven goals in 10 games against Merseyside rivals Everton and adding a crucial second goal to seal the Reds' 2019 Champions League final win over Tottenham.

In his first media conference in Milan, the 27-year-old hailed the Rossoneri's title-winners as he targeted making a valuable contribution next term.

"I spoke with the club towards the end of the season, but I was just concentrating on finishing the season with Liverpool," he said.

"Once that was done, I understood and shared the vision of the club, the people here made me realise the special journey this squad is on and the history being written, and I want to play my part in continuing it in the coming years.

"There are many players that have played their role in Milan's history that I admire, therefore, it's quite difficult to choose. 

"For example, I'm thinking of Van Basten, Shevchenko, Inzaghi, who have all been part of this wonderful club. I don't like to compare myself with others because we all have our own story to tell and path to take. 

"I believe it's possible to take inspiration from any player, in any position, and even from outside the footballing world. My goal is just to continuously grow as a player."

Origi scored in San Siro during a 2-1 Champions League win for Liverpool last December and says the sense of history surrounding Milan's famous home was a key attraction.

"I absolutely felt the atmosphere in the game in San Siro," he added. "In this stadium, you are able to feel the sense of history and the culture of the club. 

"This is also why it is an honour and a pleasure to be here, to have the opportunity to play in this magical stadium. 

"When Milan got the first goal, you could hear the backing and push given by the fans, that feeling between the crowd and players is special."

Origi won six major trophies – including Premier League and Champions League titles – at Liverpool, and emphasised his gratitude for former boss Jurgen Klopp's contribution to his career as he looked forward to the challenge of featuring in another major league.

"I am extremely grateful and appreciative of my time at Liverpool, it's a club that has provided me with everything," Origi added.

"Me and Klopp have shared an incredible experience together, we've won lots, and I'm very proud to have had him as my coach. With coach [Stefano] Pioli, I hope it will be the same and I can't wait to start working with him. 

"My time at Liverpool was very emotional, especially the goodbyes, but now it's time to start a new journey, giving this club the best version of me.

"Serie A and the Premier League are two completely different leagues. I have been fortunate to be able to play in different national championships – Germany, France, England – and also in international football. 

"The Italian league is very tactical, maybe in England, it's more physical. I think I'm going to learn a lot tactically in Italy, but at the same time contribute in the way I can from my experiences."

Versatile Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has signed a new long-term contract at Anfield.

The England international has been limited by injuries in recent seasons, and his contract was due to expire in 2024.

But Gomez has committed his future to Liverpool, reportedly until 2027, and hopes "the best years are ahead of me".

"It is an unbelievable place to be; in my eyes, probably one of the best – if not the best – clubs in the world at the minute," the 25-year-old said.

"The opportunity to extend my stay here was an easy decision to make, really.

"Obviously, I have been here quite a while now, but in the grand scheme of things, I still feel young, and the best years are ahead of me. I have got more to learn and the time to do that.

"I think I have the platform here to do it, with the manager and the coaching staff around me and my team-mates, to make sure the best years are ahead."

Mario Gotze acknowledges he was wrong to reject a move to Liverpool upon leaving Bayern Munich in 2016, when the Reds were at the beginning of their rebuild under Jurgen Klopp.

Gotze returned to the Bundesliga this month, joining Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt after spending two seasons with Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven.

The creative midfielder, who scored the only goal of the game as Germany overcame Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, became one of European football's hottest properties during a four-year spell with Klopp's Borussia Dortmund between 2009 and 2013, winning two Bundesliga titles and reaching a Champions League final.

After moving from BVB to rivals Bayern Munich, where he scored 36 goals in 114 appearances, Gotze was targeted by the Reds in 2016, and now admits a move to Anfield would have benefited his career.

"Liverpool had finished eighth in their first season with Jurgen [2015-16] and had not qualified for the Champions League," he recalled in an interview with Bild.

"Even in previous years, it wasn't a club that always played at the top.

"Dortmund had previously played a top season under Thomas Tuchel, BVB was on the up. Jurgen was still building something.

"In retrospect you have to say, Liverpool would have been better."

Reds boss Klopp has won six major trophies during his spell with the Merseyside club, lifting both domestic cups during a marathon 2021-22 season which saw them narrowly miss out on a historic quadruple. 

Divock Origi has joined Milan after his contract expired at Liverpool.

Origi signed for Liverpool from Lille after impressing for Belgium at the 2014 World Cup, but immediately rejoined the Ligue 1 side on loan.

He was used sparingly throughout his eight-year stint with the Reds, leaving on loan to Wolfsburg in 2017-18, yet still scored some crucial goals for Jurgen Klopp's team.

His most memorable was a strike in the 2018-19 Champions League final against Tottenham.

Origi will hope to be offered more chances at Milan, who lifted the Scudetto in the 2021-22 campaign, after signing a four-year contract at San Siro.

The 27-year-old developed a reputation as somewhat of a super-sub during his time at Anfield, scoring 22 goals in 107 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, while only starting 34 of those matches.

As well as his goal against Spurs in Madrid, Origi also produced the winner in the iconic semi-final comeback against Barcelona in the same competition.

Stefano Pioli has added both quality and depth to his attacking ranks, which already included Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Rafael Leao, as Milan look to defend their Serie A title in the 2022-23 campaign.

Milan reportedly remain in talks with Chelsea over a move for playmaker Hakim Ziyech, though midfielder Franck Kessie has left on a free transfer, joining Barca.

Fabio Carvalho believes he has joined potentially the biggest club in the world in Liverpool, having completed his move from Fulham.

Liverpool announced they had agreed a deal to sign the Portugal youth international in May after failing to acquire him in a late deadline day swoop in January, though only unveiled him officially on Sunday.

Carvalho scored 10 goals and recorded eight assists as Fulham won the Championship title last season, starring in a side that scored 106 league goals, becoming the first second-tier team to bring up a century of strikes since Manchester City reached 108 in 2001-02. 

The 19-year-old is one of three new signings made by Liverpool during the off-season as they aim to build on last season's EFL Cup and FA Cup double, alongside striker Darwin Nunez and full-back Calvin Ramsey.

After making his long-awaited move to Anfield official, Carvalho is aiming to achieve "big things" with Jurgen Klopp's side.

"It's just an amazing feeling to be here at one of the biggest clubs in the world, if not the biggest. So, I'm just happy to be here, and I can't wait to get started," Carvalho told the club's official website.

"Once you hear that Liverpool are interested, there's only one thought in your mind, which is to join them and try to be in the team. Hopefully I can achieve big things.

"I spoke with everyone, and the manager, and it just felt so natural. When things become natural it's just so much easier to make a decision."

Carvalho also believes his experience of playing in a free-scoring Fulham team will serve him well at Liverpool.

"Marco Silva, the way he plays football and made us play football, is more like attacking football and getting goals, which is similar to how Liverpool play, which is to score goals and dominate games," he added.

"That's what I'm here to do, to be able to help the team with my assists, creativity and goals. I'm looking forward to it."

Carvalho could face his old club on his league debut for the Reds, as Liverpool travel to Craven Cottage for their Premier League opener on August 6.

Robert Lewandowski's status and Sadio Mane's transfer have taken up the majority of attention at Bayern Munich this close season.

Meanwhile, Serge Gnabry's uncertain future has lurked in the background, despite his importance to the team in recent seasons.

Reports suggest he is set to leave for the Premier League sooner rather than later, with a number of clubs showing interest.

 

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS QUEUE FOR GNABRY

Arsenal and Manchester United are both preparing to sign Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry, according to the Daily Star.

According to reports, Gnabry is set to run down his contract after rejecting terms for a renewal, with one year left on his deal.

This leaves Bayern with compromised leverage as time becomes a luxury, despite their desire to cash in this window, instead of letting him go for free at the end of next season

While Arsenal and United are preparing a £40million (€46.4m) bid, The Sun is also reporting Gnabry would become a priority for Manchester City if Raheem Sterling leaves.

 

ROUND-UP

- Meanwhile, the Gunners and United are engaging in a bidding war for Ajax's Lisandro Martinez, according to the Daily Mail.

- Martinez's team-mate and compatriot Nicolas Tagliafico is attracting interest from Brighton and Hove Albion and Lyon, per Fabrizio Romano.

Barcelona have no intention to sell Frenkie de Jong to United but are looking for the midfielder to take a pay cut, Diario AS reports.

Mohamed Salah was prepared to join Chelsea before Liverpool made him the highest-paid player in their history, The Sun is reporting.

Harvey Elliott knows all about Liverpool's new "perfect player" Fabio Carvalho and expects the rest of the Premier League soon will, too.

Carvalho, like Elliott, came through Fulham's academy, and the pair are separated by less than a year.

They never played together in Fulham's first team, with Elliott leaving for Liverpool a year before Carvalho's professional debut, but the Portugal Under-21 international has now followed his former youth team-mate to Anfield.

Both men face a battle to get into a Liverpool attack that was boosted on Friday by news of Mohamed Salah's new contract, with Sadio Mane's departure offset by the signing of Darwin Nunez.

However, Elliott started three of the Reds' first four league games last season before dislocating his ankle, and he is confident Carvalho also has the quality to break into the team.

"He brings everything, in all fairness," Elliott told Liverpool's official website. "He has a great attitude, he has the flair, the skill, the determination, and he can score and assist as well."

A key part of the Fulham team who won the Championship last season, Carvalho contributed 10 goals and eight assists – a goal involvement every 158 minutes – with his 139 shot involvements ranking 15th across the entire division.

Still just 19, he was the youngest player to score five goals, provide five assists, attempt 50 shots or create 50 chances.

"He's the perfect player, in my eyes," Elliott continued, "and to have him on board and to have him in the building and around us, he'll only make us better players as well, and it will only make him a better player. 

"It's been a long time, and to hopefully share the pitch with him again and to have that link-up, it'll be great and I'm just looking forward to it. 

"Hopefully he can show everyone why we signed him."

Carvalho's Premier League debut could come in familiar surroundings, as Liverpool face Fulham on the opening day of the new season.

Jamie Carragher has praised Liverpool for figuring out a way to re-sign Mohamed Salah for another three years, believing the team had to do whatever they could to retain the "Liverpool legend".

Salah, 30, is coming off a season where he led the Premier League in both goals (23, tied with Son Heung-min) and assists (13), but there were rumours swirling about the club potentially looking to cash in on him with a transfer if he indicated he would not sign an extension.

Ultimately the deal got done, with Salah now tied to the club on a wage of £350,000 per week until the end of the 2024-25 season.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Carragher said it would have been painful to see Sadio Mane and Salah depart in quick succession, and that the sale of Divock Origi likely gave Liverpool the financial flexibility to meet their Egyptian star's demands.

"Losing Mane, it was sad to see that front three break up," he said. "Lots of Liverpool fans over the last few months were kind of resigned to the fact that Salah might see out the last 12 months of his contract and then move on. 

"Perhaps the club were not maybe prepared to go the numbers he wanted or he felt he deserved, and he would leave the club.

"But I think the fact that Origi has moved on and Mane has moved on, and Liverpool have brought in maybe one attacking player who is on similar sorts of wages [in Darwin Nunez]. I think the fact that two have gone and one has come in means that they could maybe get closer to the numbers Salah wanted.

"I think everyone is just delighted Salah has signed, and fingers crossed he produces over the next three years what he has produced over the last five years – and I am sure that he can."

Carragher went on to discuss how it was a change in the club's spending strategy, but a necessary one when you have a talent as rare as Salah.

"Liverpool have never really gone to that level in terms of numbers, certainly under [owners Fenway Sports Group]" he said. 

"I think that a lot of Liverpool fans respect that model because it has brought a lot of success to the club, so they almost accept how they go about things – not just with player contracts, but also with signing players.

"I don't think there would have been much criticism if Salah had left, but I think now and again when you have someone as special as Salah, the rule that you have to have in place, you have to certainly bend them. 

"Maybe not necessarily break them, but you have to maybe go closer to a position that maybe you don't want to.

"Salah is already a Liverpool legend – and if he'd moved on in 12 months, he'd have still been a legend. 

"What players like him, Alisson, Van Dijk, Mane – how they've changed the face of Liverpool Football Club along with the manager means they will all be legends no matter when they move on for the club and for whatever reason they move on from the club.

"I think the supporters are very thankful for what these players have given. Salah will finish his time in the top five or six players ever to have played for the club."

Jurgen Klopp put the Premier League and Europe's elite on notice when he warned Mohamed Salah's best years at Liverpool are still to come.

Superstar forward Salah has ended speculation about his short-term future by signing a three-year contract with the Reds, news that manager Klopp said "makes me smile thinking about it".

It means there is no danger of the Egyptian walking away as a free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season, and with the deal agreed before the start of the new campaign, there should be no more distractions when it comes to the 30-year-old's future.

Salah has had five successful seasons at Anfield already, helping Liverpool win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Inevitably, this had drawn admiring glances from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

His arrival from Roma has been one of the best pieces of business during Klopp's reign, and now Salah is staying around to spearhead the push for more success.

Klopp said he was "really pleased – really, really pleased", adding: "It's the best decision for us and best decision for him. He belongs with us, I think. This is his club now.

"I have no doubt Mo's best years are still to come. And that's saying something, because the first five seasons here have been the stuff of legend."

Speaking to Liverpool's official website, Klopp raved about the physical power of Salah, an often overlooked aspect of his game. His silky skills and finishing prowess grab the focus, with Salah scoring 31 goals and adding 15 assists in 51 games last season.

However, Klopp said: "Fitness-wise, he's a machine – in the most incredible shape. He works hard on it, and he gets his rewards. His ability and his skill level gets higher each season, and his decision-making has gone to another level also.

"He is adored by his team-mates. As coaches, we know we work with someone special. And the supporters have crowned him a king. So, very cool.

"It is just great news. It makes me smile thinking about it. He stays with us for longer, and it means we can achieve more together."

Liverpool fell agonisingly short of an unprecedented quadruple last season, winning the FA Cup and EFL Cup before losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League final and being denied the Premier League title by Manchester City on a dramatic final day of that campaign.

All the time, doubts lingered over whether Salah would make a long-term commitment to Liverpool, or whether he might soon move on.

"Of course it has taken a little time," said Klopp, "but that's absolutely okay, and the best things are always worth waiting for anyway.

"Mo is one of the best players in the world; it's only normal there are things to sort when you are at his level."

Klopp said sporting director Julian Ward and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon deserved "big credit" for getting the deal over the line.

"This is a special treat for our supporters to enjoy their weekend even more," said Liverpool's German manager. "I'm sure there will be some celebrations for this news tonight."

Mohamed Salah committed his long-term future to Liverpool on Friday by signing a new three-year deal.

The Egypt international was due to be out of contract at the end of the upcoming season, leading to strong links with a move away from Anfield.

However, out of the blue, Salah has penned an extension to – temporarily, at least – bring an end to speculation over his future.

After losing Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich, albeit with Darwin Nunez signed as a replacement of sorts, tying down Salah is a major boost for Liverpool ahead of the new season.

Here, Stats Perform looks at just how important Salah has been for Liverpool over the past five years, and how his record compares to Europe's other elite attackers.

ALREADY AMONG LIVERPOOL GREATS

It is difficult to remember now, but Salah's arrival from Roma in a deal rising to £43million raised more than a few eyebrows due to his disappointing earlier spell with Chelsea.

Six major honours later, including one as a key part in the club's first Premier League title triumph, and Salah will go down as one of Liverpool's all-time greats.

The 30-year-old has made 254 appearances for the Reds in total, 235 of those being starts, and has scored 156 goals while assisting 58 more.

Those 156 goals rank him ninth on the list of Liverpool's record scorers, with considerable ground to make up on Ian Rush at the top of that list with 346 goals.


CLOSING IN ON GERRARD RECORD

Salah might struggle to overhaul Rush, but he will also have another record in his sights when the 2022-23 campaign gets up and running next month.

With 164 direct goal involvements in the Premier League, Salah trails only Steven Gerrard (212) among Reds players in the competition in that regard.

Indeed, only two players from Europe's top five leagues have scored and assisted more goals across the same period – Robert Lewandowski (184) and Lionel Messi (200).

Kylian Mbappe, seen by many as the most desirable player in world football, is fourth on that list on 163 goal involvements, while Ciro Immobile is fifth with 159.


PREMIER LEAGUE PEDIGREE

Salah has scored 118 goals for Liverpool in the Premier League alone, which is 13 more than next-best Harry Kane among all clubs since the start of the 2017-18 season.

Those strikes have helped Salah to three Golden Boot awards – only Arsenal legend Thierry Henry (4) has finished top of the competition's scoring charts more often.

The former Basel forward also ranks top for minutes per goal among those to have played at least 100 times (126 minutes per goal), shots (678) and touches in the opposition box (1,575).

However, one metric he does not lead is assists, with Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne boasting 58 to Salah's 46.


MORE TO COME FROM MO

Salah's output has been consistent across his five years at Anfield, starting between 45 and 49 games a season and registering double figures for assists in all but one of those campaigns.

He has remained a prolific scorer throughout, with a high of 44 goals in the 2017-18 season and a low – but still respectable – 23 in the 2019-20 campaign. The latter was the season when Liverpool won the Premier League.

The Al Mokawloon youth product has managed 31 goals in each of the past two seasons, while the 15 assists registered last season was a career-high.

All that suggests Salah is far from finished on Merseyside, and with a new three-year deal signed, Liverpool fans have plenty more to look forward to from their 'Egyptian king'.

Mohamed Salah landed a bumper new contract through to 2025 and vowed to repay Liverpool's belief in him by firing Jurgen Klopp's Reds to more trophies.

Uncertainty over the Egyptian forward's future had lingered for months, with no clear sign of a breakthrough in negotiations between the club and the player's representatives until a deal was announced on Friday.

With Sadio Mane being allowed to leave for Bayern Munich since the end of last season, the importance of securing Salah was ramped up, and now the 30-year-old has confirmed he will stay at Anfield.

He could have walked away at the end of the 2022-23 season on a free transfer, had he not agreed to new terms, but that worrying prospect has been quashed.

With at least three years more to come of his Anfield career, Salah is convinced he and Liverpool can enjoy huge success in that time.

They threatened a quadruple last term before just missing out to Manchester City in the Premier League title race and losing 1-0 to Real Madrid in the Champions League final, having already pouched the FA Cup and EFL Cup.

Salah said of his new deal: "It takes a little bit of time, I think, to renew, but now everything is done so we just need to focus on what’s next.

"I think you can see in the last five or six years the team was always going [upwards]. Last season we were close to winning four, but unfortunately in the last week of the season we lost two trophies.

"I think we are in a good position to fight for everything. We have new signings as well. We just need to keep working hard, have a good vision, be positive and go for everything again."

In an interview for Liverpool's official website, Salah spoke of the departure of Mane to the Bundesliga and the arrival of Uruguayan frontman Darwin Nunez from Benfica, as manager Jurgen Klopp shuffles his pack.

"I'm so excited, I want to play with him," Salah said of Nunez. "He had a good season last season and played well against us home and away [in the Champions League].

"Sadio's leaving, and I'm going to miss him, he had great seasons with the club, so I wish him all the best, and I wish Darwin also all the best to score many goals for us."

Salah had a stellar 2021-22 campaign, finishing level with Tottenham's Son Heung-min in the race to be the Premier League's top scorer, while also managing the most assists in the competition, racking up 13 to finish one ahead of team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold.

It was the third time that Salah has won the Premier League's Golden Boot, having also been top scorer in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 campaigns.

He won the FWA Footballer of the Year and the PFA Players' Player of the Year awards, and taking all competitions into account finished the campaign with 31 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances, creating 87 scoring chances.

Across his five-season Liverpool career to date, Salah has managed 118 Premier League goals, at an average of one every 126 minutes, a league-best for players who have played at least 100 games in that time.

Salah had been linked with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but Friday's announcement means the former Roma and Chelsea forward's stint with Liverpool is far from over, as he prepares for a sixth season with the Reds.

In a message to supporters, Salah said Liverpool would "try to win all the trophies" in the new campaign.

Mohamed Salah has ended speculation over his future by signing a new long-term contract with Liverpool.

The Egypt forward only had a year remaining on his previous deal with the Reds and could have departed as a free agent after the 2022-23 season.

Liverpool on Friday revealed Salah has agreed to extend his successful stay at Anfield until 2025.

The 30-year-old helped the Reds win the FA Cup and EFL Cup last season, while they also reached the Champions League final and finished second in the Premier League.

He finished level with Son Heung-min as the Premier League's top scorer in the 2021-22 campaign, but his Liverpool future appeared to be in the balance as negotiations over a new deal dragged on.

Salah's decision to remain on Merseyside is a huge boost for Jurgen Klopp’s side after the departure of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich.

He told Liverpool's official website: "I feel great and [I am] excited to win trophies with the club. It’s a happy day for everyone."

Salah scored 31 goals and provided 15 assists in 51 appearances for the Reds last season.

He scored 23 of those goals in the top flight as Liverpool pushed Manchester City all the way in the title race, only missing out on the final day when Pep Guardiola's team came from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa and regain the trophy.

Salah had been linked with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but his stint with Liverpool is far from over, as he prepares for a sixth season with the Reds, having arrived from Roma in 2017.

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