Mohamed Salah’s £1m-a-week deal and an insight into how top footballers are rewarded

When news broke in the summer that Saudi football side Al Ittihad were chasing Mohamed Salah, but had been turned down, there was considerable sympathy for the player.

Here was a footballer, a true superstar, 31 years old at what might be the start of the down slope of his career, who was being denied the chance by his club to rake in mega-millions. He had given Liverpool years of extraordinary service; few would quibble if he felt the need to move on and cash in.

Reports suggested that the striker was to be paid £1.5 million a week by Al Ittihad, enabling him to join Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar as the poster boys of the Saudi Pro League. Liverpool were to receive £100m straight away, with another potential £50m coming in add-ons. Still, the English team refused; Salah was theirs and he was going nowhere.

In Liverpool’s start to this season, Salah has been outstanding, playing six matches (before Saturday's game against Spurs), scoring three goals and making four assists. That compares with 38 league games in 2022-23, in which he netted 19 times and made 12 assists. His best season for goals was in 2017-18, when he played 36 and scored 32.

It's the other statistic that has got the commentators purring and the fans cheering. Once a player renowned, perhaps unfairly, for going for goal and missing, when he could have passed, Salah has become more generous. His rate of assists has risen. So much so that if he keeps it up, this season he could make over 20 goals for others. This, in addition to those he scores himself.

In essence, Salah has become more of an all-rounder, which means he is extremely precious indeed. Which is why it should come as no surprise that this rarity of a sportsman is earning at least £1m-a-week