Arne Slot insists 'physical freak' Mo Salah will maintain level to end of new Liverpool deal

Arne Slot insists is a freak of nature who will still be a master maker and taker of goals at the age of 35. Salah finally signed a contract extension on Friday that will keep him at until the summer of 2027 after a year of brinkmanship with the champions-elect.

The Egyptian forward will celebrate his 33rd birthday in June - and his new £350,000-a-week deal gives him the opportunity to leave an even bigger legacy. Salah is joint fourth with Sergio Aguero in the all-time goalscoring charts with 184 - and will eclipse and Andy Cole to go second behind 260-goal if he continues to be as prolific.

He is also in 10th place in the all-time list of assists on 86 - and needs another 25 to go ahead of Kevin De Bruyne to move into second place behind runaway leader

Salah is on course for the Golden Boot with 27 goals this season - and also the top-flight assist king with 17. And said: “Mo is a physical freak. That's why it doesn't surprise me that he is still on his level at his age.

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“It’s about what he does physically and also mentally to stay at top of his game for a whole season, because it's very hard to do what he does every three days.

“And then, to do this for seven or eight years in a row, is even harder - and he has two more he has to go and he will prove that he's able to do so. You never know if he’s going to score exactly the same amount, or a few more or a few less.

“But we expect - and he expects himself as well - to stay at his level. We are extending him three months before the next season starts - and I think we can all agree on the fact that Mo has had an incredible season this year.

“So there's every reason to expect him to be at the same level at the start of next season.”

Virgil van Dijk is also expected to commit his future to for the next two seasons, although ’s departure to when his contract expires in the summer now appears to be a formality.

Liverpool can take another step towards the title by beating at Anfield after slipping to only their second Premier League defeat of the season at last week.

The Reds were beaten in the Carabao Cup final by and eliminated from the on penalties by Paris St Germain.

Liverpool’s exit from Europe still rankles with the Dutchman - but he believes the French club are currently one of the best teams in the game.

Slot said: “It was the best game (against ), but I also think and (Manchester) City are incredible teams. were also a good team. There are three or four of them - and Paris St Germain are in the top three or four with the others.

“But the margins at our level are so small. In the end, it took penalties for PSG to go through against us and now they might go all the way and everyone will forget about that day when they had all the luck.”

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