Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or depend on Liverpool securing top honours this season, Arne Slot has said.
The in-form Egyptian, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has 41 direct goal involvements (25 goals, 16 assists) for Liverpool this season and is on the verge of completing one of the greatest-ever campaigns in Premier League history.
Slot credits 32-year-old Salah’s work-rate and professionalism for his incredible season and says that his commitment to defending pleases him as much as his attacking output.
He also knows that to receive the full recognition — and be in with a shout of the Ballon d’Or — Salah must add either a Premier League or Champions League this season.
“It is a good thing Mo is in the discussion because it means he is doing well and we are doing well, but to stay in the discussion he should bring in the same performances he has been doing for seven or eight months,” Slot said ahead of Liverpool’s game with Newcastle United on Wednesday.
“In general for someone to win the Ballon d’Or he has to win something (with the team). It’s a great challenge in front of him and us.
“I like how he takes this challenge, not only by scoring a big goal or an assist but he wants the team to win because his defensive work rate against Man City was outstanding. For us as a team to win something, he will have a far better chance to win an individual prize like the Ballon d’Or.”
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Salah, the top scorer at Liverpool, has been offered a new deal at the club and is in talks but there’s no update on his situation.
Asked whether his goalscoring form affects discussions, Slot said: “You can look at it in both ways. You can say the better he does the more expensive he might become and if he was worse we would have second thoughts to extend his contract.
“For everyone it is the best that he brings in the performances he does now. If you want to play at this club you need to be at his level otherwise you are almost useless to play at this club because we only need players that are at the top of their game.”
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