As Liverpool fans eagerly await news on Mohamed Salah’s contract situation, the club’s ownership group, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), faces a defining moment. The decision they make could shape the Reds’ fortunes for years to come. And if they’re looking for guidance, they need only reflect on a painfully similar scenario involving their other marquee sports franchise, the Boston Red Sox.
A Tale of Two Superstars
In 2020, the Red Sox found themselves at a contract impasse with their homegrown superstar, Mookie Betts. The 27-year-old outfielder was a four-time All-Star, an MVP winner, and a key cog in Boston’s 2018 World Series triumph. But with Betts set to hit free agency and seeking a record-breaking deal, the Red Sox balked at meeting his asking price.
Rather than risk losing him for nothing, Boston traded Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers, receiving a package of prospects in return. It was a move driven by analytics and financial prudence, but it left a gaping hole in the Red Sox lineup and in the hearts of their fans.
Now, Liverpool find themselves in a strikingly similar position with Salah. The Egyptian winger, who has scored 223 goals in 368 appearances for the Reds, is in the final year of his contract. Like Betts, he’s seeking a deal commensurate with his status as one of the game’s elite players. And like the Red Sox, Liverpool’s data-driven approach to player valuation has thus far prevented them from meeting Salah’s demands.
The Cost of Losing a Legend
The parallels between the two situations are striking, but the Red Sox’s experience should serve as a cautionary tale for FSG. In the five years since trading Betts, Boston has posted just one winning season. The prospects they received in return have largely failed to pan out. And the hole left by Betts’ departure remains unfilled.
“I wanted to stay in Boston my whole career,” Betts admitted last year. “That was my life.”
– Mookie Betts, Foul Territory interview
The cost of letting a franchise icon walk away can’t be measured in dollars and cents alone. It’s felt in the erosion of fan goodwill, in the diminished on-field product, and in the nagging sense of what might have been.
Salah’s Enduring Prime
There are, of course, differences between the two cases. Salah, at 32, is five years older than Betts was at the time of his trade. But the Egyptian’s relatively late emergence as a global superstar suggests he may have more prime years left than his age would indicate.
- Salah was 23 before he played 1,500+ minutes in a top European league season
- He’s been largely injury-free throughout his career
- His playing style relies more on intelligence and technique than raw athleticism
All of these factors point to a player who, with proper management, could continue to perform at an elite level well into his mid-30s. The idea of Salah, the Liverpool legend, finishing his career in another jersey is one that should give FSG pause.
The Price of Greatness
Ultimately, the decision on Salah’s future will come down to a question of value. What is the cost of keeping him versus the cost of letting him go? The Red Sox calculated that the long-term financial flexibility gained by trading Betts outweighed the short-term pain of losing him. It’s a calculation they likely regret today.
“There is no club like [Liverpool],” Salah said recently. “But in the end, it is not in my hands. As I said before, it is December and I haven’t received anything yet about my future.”
– Mohamed Salah, post-match interview
For Liverpool, the stakes could hardly be higher. They sit top of the Premier League table, 8 points clear of second-place Manchester City. A first league title in almost 30 years is within their grasp. Salah, with 10 goals and 6 assists already this season, is integral to their chances.
Can they afford to let him walk away? Can they afford not to pay what it takes to keep him? These are the questions FSG must grapple with as they enter into what could be the most consequential contract negotiation in Liverpool’s storied history.
Learning from the Past
In the end, the lesson of the Red Sox and Mookie Betts is clear: when you have a once-in-a-generation talent, a player who embodies the very best of your club, you do whatever it takes to keep them. You build around them, you plan for the future with them at the center, and you pay them what they’re worth.
For FSG, the decision on Salah’s contract is a chance to show they’ve learned from their past mistakes. It’s a chance to secure the legacy of one of Liverpool’s all-time greats and to signal to fans that the club’s ambitions match their own.
The alternative is a future that Red Sox fans know all too well. A future of regret, of wondering what might have been, and of watching a beloved star shine bright for someone else. It’s a future Liverpool can ill afford, not with so much on the line.
The ball is in FSG’s court. They have the power to shape Liverpool’s destiny for years to come. Will they learn from the past and secure Salah’s signature, or will they let history repeat itself? For the sake of Liverpool fans everywhere, let’s hope they choose wisely.
