Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah are both facing uncertain futures as their contracts with their respective clubs near their expiration dates. While De Bruyne remains calm about the lack of talks regarding a new deal with Manchester City, Salah has taken to various platforms to express his desire for a new contract with Liverpool, creating a sense of urgency around his future.
Both De Bruyne and Salah share a common origin story in the Premier League, having been signed and then discarded prematurely by Chelsea. Despite being among the highest-paid players in the league and still possessing undimmed talent, both players are approaching the twilight years of their careers, raising questions for their clubs about how to handle their inevitable decline.
Liverpool and Manchester City, like many other clubs, face the dilemma of what to do with players as they age. While conventional wisdom suggests prioritizing youth, research has shown that players over 30 can continue to perform at a high level. However, predicting how long a player will remain at their peak is a challenge, making it difficult for clubs to make decisions about offering new contracts to aging players like Salah and De Bruyne.
The situation with Salah and De Bruyne highlights the dual nature of football clubs as emotional vessels for fans and pragmatic businesses. While clubs like Liverpool may be motivated by more than just financial considerations in wanting players like Salah to stay, the reality is that offering new contracts to aging players is a risky proposition that goes against traditional norms in the sport.
As Salah and De Bruyne navigate discussions about their futures, both players and clubs must weigh the risks and rewards of extending contracts. While players may prefer to live in the moment and assume their performance will remain consistent, clubs must make calculated decisions about how to handle aging players in a sport where decline is inevitable.
Ultimately, the resolution of Salah and De Bruyne’s contract situations will require careful consideration from both the players and their respective clubs. As two of the Premier League’s brightest stars enter the later stages of their careers, the decisions made now could have a significant impact on the future direction of both Liverpool and Manchester City.