Manchester United ‘are getting relegated’ and this is part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s grand takeover ‘plan’, while Ruben Amorim ‘expects’ to manage in the Championship…

After plenty of mails on Man Utd, there’s a theory on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transfer and a ‘likely big purchase’ for Newcastle United this month.

Send your views to theeditor@football365.com…

Man Utd relegation conspiracy
There was a letter a few days ago from Gab YNWA postulating whether all of this Man Utd strife is actually by design; a play by Sir Jim Ratcliffe to drive down the eventual purchase price of Man Utd. Football365 deemed it “plausible” but each day that goes by I shift my own viewpoint from “plausible” to “maybe likely”.

I think Man Utd are getting relegated, and I think it’s part of the plan. Admittedly I’m not fully convinced of this, but… yeah… when you think of things in a cold and ruthless business sense you can see Ratcliffe “investing/buying” what essentially amounts to one-quarter of Man Utd, as well as being allowed to manage their affairs. He then embarks on a series of actions which get leaked to the press. Redundancies, requests for funds to repair the stadium, away fans travel, Sir Alex, etc… People talk about a leak in the dressing room, but no one “leaks” more bad news to the media than Man Utd’s press office.

Amorim comes in; he’s not a bad manager whatsoever. He’s a brilliant manager, he’s absolutely smashing. The way he had that Sporting team playing was like Vanessa-Mae twiddling a Stradivarius. He’s not forgotten how to win matches or coach teams just because he’s relocated to Manchester. And he’s so calm, isn’t he? So casual. He’s mentioned relegation, he’s changed the formation, he’s peed around with the starting eleven, and he’s isolating their most saleable asset right before the January transfer window. If you have Manchester United 7 points clear of relegation and dropping, surely the call to action will be to get your most committed, most battle-hardened troops rallied around you, grinding out results. But no, there’s none of this. Amorim is seemingly chillaxed to the max about possibly being the manager who relegates Man Utd.

There’s media coverage, there’s media think-pieces, but there’s not a whole lot of media scrutiny going on. It’s almost as if the British media would prefer a British owner of Britain’s biggest club.

So, realistically, what happens if Man Utd get relegated?

Do they sack Amorim? I don’t think so. I think he would get paid a King’s ransom to manage them back into the Premier League. The conspiracy theorist may even wonder if he expects to get relegated.

Who do they sell (and want to sell)? I think Utd probably sell the vast majority of those hugely paid, and massively under-performing players who, at best, are inconsistent. Rashford, Bruno, Casemiro, Onana, Antony, possibly Martinez. They’ll all leave.

Who would they like to keep, but might have to sell? Not many, but Hojlund, Garnacho, Mainoo, Mazraoui, Yoro, and Shaw spring to mind

The rest though, I think they stay. Altay, Lindelof, De Ligt, Maguire, Dalot, Ugarte, Eriksen, Malacia, Diallo, Zirkzee, Mount. I think they keep these players, and I typed out those players in that order because that right there is an Amorim 3-4-3 which would probably stroll back in to the Premier League.

Crucially, how much is a superstar-less, Championship-bound, leaky-roofed Manchester Utd worth? Not £5bn, that’s for sure.
Dale May (Swindon Wengerite)

READ: Man Utd have made ‘appalling mis-step’ with Ruben Amorim; it’s Roy Hodgson again

A New Year’s Man Utd rant
I feel we’ve been having the same cyclical conversation about Man Utd since Alex Ferguson left and I think it’s my turn to ask what exactly the Utd culture is. Does Utd have some sort of Soviet-era Red Room programming department that rolls out Fergusonism fundamentalists? Is it just that if a player is good he understands United but if he’s bad he doesn’t? It sounds like a team of Marcus Rashfords would be ideal but you all don’t seem to like him. Answers on a postcard.

How have other teams managed to win titles and Champions Leagues in the past eleven years with bloody foreigners and a few youth graduates? Have other teams stolen Utd’s culture? Is that why Utd don’t have one anymore?

Utd need to do three things to get back to being competitive. Invest in their infrastructure, that one’s easy, just spend the money and don’t try to recoup it by taking away your staff’s free coffee. Stop spunking hundreds of millions on mediocre players you don’t need. If you sign a rotten foreigner it’s not the foreigner bit that’s the problem, it’s the rotten bit. Finally, get rid of your wastrels and bad apples even if it means they go for nothing and you pay some of their wages until their contract runs out. You were all too busy laughing at Arteta playing YNWA at training and getting irate about him being absolutely the only manager to leave his technical area to recognise that there was a blueprint there. That’s not a setup to a my da can beat up your da retort by the way, you’re currently 17 points behind the team your sacked manager was more successful than.

Fans and pundits need to do one thing to help their club out of the hole they’re in. Shut up. For crying out loud just shut up. I’m sick of this holier-than-though pontificating about a culture that never existed from a team in 14th. Or don’t, it’s tiresome yet funny but I’d like to read a mailbox of a morning that’s not Utd fans yapping or mainlining copium.
SC, Belfast (Apologies if this wasn’t my turn, I’m happy to skip my go next year)

MORE MAN UTD MESS COVERAGE ON F365…
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👉 Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim reveals Marcus Rashford status ahead of Liverpool clash

Do United have money to spend or not?
The one thing confusing me about United hiring Amorim is, do they have money for new players or not.

Originally I thought this was obvious. They’ve gone out and hired a manager who’s dogmatic/intransigent/inflexible (etc) about this 3-4-3 thing; but the only outfield players who suit that system are Shaw, Mount and Sancho, who are all basically ex-Utd players of one flavour or other. Obviously the club were well aware of this, as it led to the public heave-ho for Dan Ashworth.

So the only reason to go ahead – and to give Amorim what amounts to a 10-month pre-season – is so he can work out who goes and who stays; and so he can have 2 transfer windows to bring in players who are either really good, or at least are half decent but can make the system work. And then can be upgraded later.

But is this going to happen? I keep seeing that United are skint now. So have United been hurried into appointing completely the wrong manager purely because it looked like City were going after him?
Neil Raines

What would constitute success for Amorim?
As a Man United fan, I would suggest that if Mr Amorim can bring Man United to the first half of the Premier League table by the end of the season, has already done a good job.

Man United needs a big shake and replacement of a lot of current players in the Summer to give it a try for the first 3 spots at the Premier League 25/26 season.

Changing the manager, while continuing with the same players with poor performance brought to Man United by Eric Ten Hag, doesn’t change anything at this stage and May make things more complicated.
Kind regards, Alireza Firouzfar

READ: Lopetegui and Postecoglou clear Sack Race leaders but Amorim on his way to joining them

Everybody wants to beat Man Utd
I read Harry’s email with interest. In over thirty years of watching United, I’ve never considered that we have a hoodoo over other teams. It’s always occurred to me that teams raise their game against United.

Particularly in the ’90s and 00s, it seemed like we’d play some really poor sides and someone would pluck a worldly out of nowhere or teams would give more effort against United than against other teams. Fergie mischievously pointing this out was what caused Keegan’s classic meltdown.

And while United may not have an aura now, it’s still Manchester United Football Club you’re talking about. So when teams come to town United quite often have to play well to win and quite often even that isn’t good enough these days.

Anything can obviously happen when we play City and Liverpool as these are derbies and logic often flies out the window. And I can’t account for Newcastle fans who have a weird obsession with us stopping them win trophies (did we? Or were you just not good enough?). But the very real phenomenon of teams and players raising their game against United – especially at Old Trafford – combined with the very real phenomenon of United being pants means that the threat of relegation is very real for Manchester United actual Football Club.

United fans probably need to give up moaning for a bit and support them team a bit louder at Old Trafford and give the away teams a bit of fear. Rather than our own players.
Ashmundo

United need someone new…
Let’s face it. Manchester United, have seen some very good managers over the last nine years.

The problem is partly the Glazers, they have invested money badly and having favourite players who wasn’t working in the team was a problem for years.

But Martial, wasn’t the only flop. I’m unsure who makes the decisions but when a manager says he has a problem with a player, someone seems to step in and deny him the answer to the problem. Rashford, has been a problem for at least three years. Luke Shaw, he’s been very good but he can’t go on for ever.

I believe they need a new manager, however there was nothing wrong with Ten Hag, apart from he wanted all Ajax team and didn’t get them. Where they go from here is any man’s guess but it doesn’t look good, I think Radcliffe might be regretting his investment.
David

It is unfortunate that Man Utd is suffering humiliation. It is not going to change with the current management in place. The new manager with his new formation in my opinion doesn’t understand the British football.

Ownership issues aside, British football is built on one excellent goalkeeper (Gordon Banks or in the case of Man Utd, Peter Schmeichel or David De Gea) then comes two excellent central defenders like Ferdinand and Vidic (recent history) and two strong right back and left back defenders. Midfield must be three workhorses (Roy Keane, and Michael Carrack come to mind with the likes of Scholes, and Giggs, with the central midfielder anchored in front of the two central defenders.

That is complemented by two speedy wingers likes of Nanny and Valencia and a true number 9 like Van Nestelroy or Rooney that can score from anywhere inside the 18 yards. Any other formation is not suited for British football, particularly Man Utd. When the management understands this principle then you can expect improvement. Experimenting on the go with Ten Hag or the new coach is futile.

When the crosses come from the right or the left anybody can score. Playing complete football is not suitable for England. Just look at the current Bayern Munich team and you will understand what I am talking about. They are slightly different in the formation 4:2:3:1.

Please stop changing managers and spend more money (wasteful spending). Evaluate what you have in the pipeline and promote as fast as you can. Don’t wait until they are too old. Focus on attitude and team spirit rather than stats from another European league.

I hope I can see improvement in my lifetime. I am 72 now and I watched Man Utd first time when I was 24.

Thank you
Hormoz from Canada

READ: Top 10 worst Premier League January transfers – infamous Man Utd-Arsenal swap pipped to top spot

Amorim and Trent thoughts…
Amor for Amorim and adiós Trent.

I’m a Liverpool sympathizer and have been for years. I remember the doldrums under Evans and the relative successes under Houllier and the highs and lows of Benítez. And of course Roy -shudder. What I don’t remember is ever thinking that a new manager was going to come in and change a bunch of mediocre players into world beaters just by walking in the door. Klopp made a huge impact yes, but look how he overhauled the squad from almost top to bottom, Amorim needs to do the same.

What United need is to give Amorim time to go full scorched earth – the players either buy in completely or fuck off, it’s that simple. Give him two years and accept that it will come with pain. The current players need to know they are playing for the futures, playing to bring glory back. If that doesn’t motivate them then nothing will. Sell anyone the manager doesn’t want at knock down prices. After all, United are used to wasting money at this point.

I almost feel like Amorim was making a point playing Eriksen and Casemeiro – look at what I’m working with. And anyone who wants to get on Ugarte’s back should remember Fabinho took almost a year to get up to speed at Liverpool. As for Rashford, he’s made his bed and honestly I wouldn’t hold it against him. He has to think about his career too and has been made a scapegoat for a couple of years now.

Also, as has been mentioned many times, the discourse around United by former pundits is bonkers and usually boils down to “it wasn’t like this back in my day.” These players may not be good enough but they didn’t set their price tag. I never thought I’d have so much to say about United but Christ on a bike, it’s genuinely infuriating.
Alan (nothing but love to Trent if he goes, Madrid are still the pinnacle of world football).

READ: Big Weekend: Liverpool v Man Utd, Newcastle, McKenna, Jesus, Roma v Lazio, Burnley v Blackburn

Trent plan
Madrid offering money for TAA now seems to be a way for the player to leave for nothing in the summer, in an attempt to protect him tarnishing his reputation with the Liverpool fans so much.

They must know this small bid won’t be accepted. But now when the fans protest that he should have signed a new contract, that they as a club developed him and deserved a transfer fee, he can turn around say they could have accepted this bid in January. Try and pass the blame from himself to the club.
JC STFC

Newcastle United’s January window
A couple of days ago, I wrote in noting that the January transfer window wasn’t likely to be a big deal for Newcastle, with low-value outbound transfers not permitting huge purchases. I think that was accurate enough, and somebody like Man City’s James McAtee at £25m is the biggest purchase we’re likely to see. (I’d rather like that rumor to be true, as I rate him.)

But in another sense — and as I understand the rules — it is a big month because it will see the club’s January 2022 player purchases fall off the PSR books. I gather that PSR-related filings are calculated over a three-year period and made at season’s end, so some PSR room should open up in the summer. The larger summer 2022 transfer spend on Isak, Gordon and Botman won’t stop counting against us until next summer so there’s that to look forward to, as well. And while I’m thinking long-term, the inadequate summer 2024 spend may look like 4D chess in 18 months, if the existing squad can maintain its trajectory with minor additions.

Am I the only one who thinks it’s weird to have to look at player purchases this way? PSR/FFP regulations insist that clubs operate as responsible corporations in order to defend competition in the English and European leagues. To the extent that they armor the clubs that were richest at the time they were enacted, I’d say they’ve failed. On the other hand, an argument that the rise of clubs like Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford and Fulham reflects an increase in the EPL’s competitiveness might be pretty convincing during this season. And on the other-other hand, one might object that such clubs are merely bumping against a glass ceiling.

Concrete conclusions seem hard to come by and perhaps will only be drawn years from now. But I will venture to say that this alleged legitimization of player transfers does away with far too much magic and romance for my taste. When Sir John Hall funded the purchase of Alan Shearer from Blackburn, it was…epochal. You could never hope to measure its impact on the club and its supporters. And nobody saw anything wrong with it, beyond grousing over the world-record fee. And the club’s new owners are stupid rich. If we’d got them before 2008, we’d have been buying galacticos; these days, we’re counting beans and hoping to sell players at a tidy profit. [kicks rock]

Should Manchester United’s global popularity or Real Madrid’s appeal to the Spanish-speaking world mean they should have the best chance at success? And how would, say, a Bournemouth supporter answer that question? It kind of seems like what’s fair to Newcastle would just mean installing another club above them behind that glass ceiling, unless they find their own sovereign investment fund.

It’s a tough question; as with so much in life, capitalism is seemingly both the problem and the solution.
Chris C, Toon Army DC

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed an update on Marcus Rashford after it was confirmed that he will miss Manchester United’s game at Liverpool.

Last month, Rashford announced he is “ready” to leave the Premier League giants. This followed Ruben Amorim’s decision to leave him out of his squad for the Manchester derby against Man City on December 15.

The England international missed out on four matches before returning to Man Utd’s squad for their 2-0 loss against Newcastle United on Monday night.

Head coach Amorim has subsequently announced that Rashford will miss this weekend’s match against Liverpool at Anfield and Romano has confirmed that this is “because he’s ill”.

Romano also claims Rashford “can still leave the club” with teams “interested” in signing him this month.

“Rashford will not be in the squad to face Liverpool because he’s ill. He’s not able to travel and to play. But the situation between Man Utd and the player is still not resolved,” Romano said.

READ: Man Utd ‘getting relegated’ in ‘likely’ Ratcliffe takeover ‘plan’ with Amorim, eleven stars tipped to stay

“The relationship between Amorim and Rashford remains not that easy over performances in training and that sort of thing. So he can still leave the club.

“Marcus Rashford, as of today, has of no interest in considering options from Saudi. But let’s see what happens in the next weeks.

“He believes European football is the perfect stage for him, despite some interest from Saudi. There are clubs interested in this possibility, but he’s not opening the door to that option.”

While Rashford has rejected interest from the Saudi Pro League, journalist Ben Jacobs reveals “MLS has an appetite” for the forward as Seattle Sounders have “asked” about signing him.

“There are some suggestions that MLS has an appetite for Rashford. The MLS deals sometimes are funded centrally with support for MLS by Apple streaming partner, as with Lionel Messi,” Jacobs said.

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“Rashford doesn’t fall into that category but he might be able to get a package if there is MLS interest, provided there’s central support.

“I’m told the club that has asked the question, though there’s nothing particularly advanced at this point, is Seattle. They’ve had an internal conversation.

“The reason why it’s Seattle is because they are a Club World Cup representative, which is an appeal to anyone they wish to sign, and in addition to that, they’re likely to get a minimum of between €50-60 million for entering the Club World Cup.

“So MLS can turn around to Club World Cup representatives Seattle and Inter Miami and tell them they can afford to pay for these stars. So budget may not be a problem.”

Jacobs also poured cold water on this move, though. He added: “I’m not so sure he’d want to go there.

“We shouldn’t overblow the MLS links. At this stage, Seattle haven’t reached out to either the Rashford camp or Manchester United.

“It’s an internal discussion that you’d expect to advance in January rather than the summer if they choose to proceed because obviously, the MLS calendar means January is almost like summer in the sense you’re lining up the main stars for the beginning of the season.”

It’s make-or-break time for some of your favourite football players and managers in 2025. Here are six we will be watching keenly this year.

Mikel Arteta
It is a gargantuan year for Mikel Arteta. It is not just a Twitter narrative; Arsenal need something to show for their progress and the process under Arteta in the way of a trophy. The Champions League is obviously the crème de la crème and ending a 21-year wait for a Premier League title would be fantastic, but even a cheeky Carabobbins can change the narrative and potentially open the floodgates. Failing that, a second FA Cup will do.

As an Arsenal fan, I don’t believe an FA or Carabao Cup in the last few years would have proved anything. Erik ten Hag won both trophies during his time at Manchester United and not one sane person would have preferred to be a United fan between 2022 and 2024.

Sure, finishing second in back-to-back Premier League seasons has been tough to stomach, but it is a true sign of progression. Winning an FA Cup, recording your worst Premier League finish ever, reluctantly extending the manager’s contract and sacking him four months later is the opposite.

Moving forward, though, you have to feel like this Arsenal team should have a trophy to their name. The debate would be even more ferocious had they not claimed an FA Cup in Arteta’s first year in the job; that trophy win probably kept him at the Emirates when they seemed to reach a new nadir every week in the 2020/21 season. Honestly, thank f**k Arsenal won that trophy. Without Arteta and his #process, the Gunners probably would be just like Manchester United, fighting for a top-half finish with a squad full of underperforming, overpriced muck.

Another trophyless season would not result in Arteta losing his job but serious questions would be raised regarding his ability to win silverware. Losing finals or semi-finals and finishing second in the league again would probably be worse than exiting the FA Cup and Champions League before the serious business starts. Then you’d be wondering if Arsenal need someone else to get them over that last hurdle; a genuine bridesmaid-not-a-bride narrative.

Still, he did at least win the calendar year Premier League trophy.

Trent Alexander-Arnold
Stick or twist? White or red? One-club hero or Galactico? It’s decision time, mate.

Trent Alexander-Arnold will surely look back on his career with regret if he doesn’t make the move to Real Madrid this summer. He has already won everything at Liverpool and has the perfect opportunity to join the biggest club in the world, with the greatest prestige, success and aura. The Ballon d’Or aspect is certainly a pull too.

On the other hand, being a one-club man is pretty cool, innit? Steven Gerrard did it and is the greatest Liverpool player of all time, even without a Premier League title to his godly name. He was the Anfield starboy and when there was a chance he would leave, that rapidly changed. Having received all sorts of threat and abuse, Gerrard swivelled on a move to Chelsea – which rightly garnered more anger than a transfer abroad – and went on to stay at Liverpool, winning a few trophies but not that all-elusive league title. That one slipped away.

Liverpool fans would not act as atrociously should Paul Joyce report that Alexander-Arnold has agreed to join Real Madrid but they will certainly be very upset – a little too upset at a man entering his peak for leaving having literally completed it, mate. It will not be a normal response and that might hold Trent back, just as it did with Stevie G back in the day.

Just don’t follow the Michael Owen career path (or Michael Owen in general, really), Trent, and you will be welcome back at Anfield whenever you fancy running it back.

Staying and leaving both have incredible upsides, which seesaw relentlessly with the downsides, and Alexander-Arnold’s decision is going to have a LeBron James to the Miami Heat feel on Merseyside. Boy, it is really quite exciting. Even if it makes the best team in the world even stronger. Actually, on second thoughts…

Pep Guardiola
The Manchester City manager recently committed his future to the club in the way of a new two-year contract, but we would not blame him for calling it a day at the end of this season. He really does not need this s**t.

Rival fans feared the Guardiola contract extension but, such is the fickleness of the football fan, they are all now completely unbothered with Man City in an almighty rut. Yes, they beat Leicester City in their most recent game but that was only a second Premier League win from their last 10. This form won’t last forever and we don’t think the champions will finish outside the Champions League places – but we can forgive Guardiola if this period has hurt him enough to walk away at the end of the campaign.

Guardiola has expressed his loyalty to City by promising to stay if the club are relegated to League Two following a guilty verdict in their financial case. The 115 clouds hanging over the blue side of Manchester are another reason Guardiola – and the club in general – is one to watch in 2025. Nobody knows what will happen but we are finally into the year of the verdict and for that we should be thankful.

Guardiola might have to put his money where his mouth is, though it does feel unlikely. It will be a fat fine and an asterisk next to their recent success, but expulsion talk comes in vain… and the hope of some traffic.

Turning his side’s form around will be the only thing on Guardiola’s mind at the moment and finding a tune out of a Rodri-less City is long overdue. His legacy is hardly on the line (115 charges aside) but finishing sixth or below would see it take a hit, or at least his credentials as the best manager Our League has ever seen. Sir Alex Ferguson never had a Premier League season like this and won trophies without players regarded as the glue of his team. City suddenly look like relegation candidates without Rodri and Guardiola’s inability to find a solution has been extremely concerning.

It is a huge year for Manchester City, which makes it a huge year for Pep Guardiola. Surely this stint will be enough for him to say, ‘F**k this, I’m off’.

Kylian Mbappe
Speaking of legacies, it’s probably time for Kylian Mbappe to win a Champions League. That is unless he wants us to have some very uncomfortable conversations. If you join Real Madrid, the immediate aim is to win the Champions League. If you join reigning European champions Real Madrid, the immediate expectation is to win the Champions League.

Mbappe looked close to being a hindrance for Paris Saint-Germain in their 2024 semi-final against Borussia Dortmund, missing one big chance and hitting the woodwork twice across both legs. Calling him a hindrance is maybe a little harsh but he is the player meant to carry PSG across the line, which he never looked like doing as he was outshone by Jadon bloody Sancho.

His shortcomings in Europe’s premier competition did not stop Real Madrid from finally completing the signing of the France captain. Sorry for the second reference if you have no interest in or knowledge of the NBA, but this was a move reminiscent of Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors – Mbappe joined the greatest team in the world and there is literally no excuse for failure. It is not quite the easy way out that Durant took in 2016 but it sets Mbappe up for easy criticism.

The Ballon d’Or conversation can come when/if Mbappe wins the Champions League but right now, it is all about getting his hands on the biggest prize in club football and if he doesn’t, well, this guy with not even a one-thousandth of his football ability will come for him.

Marcus Rashford
Where Marcus Rashford will be trying to prove a point is unclear but all we know is that he has a lot to prove to a lot of people. Turning down a transfer to Saudi Arabia (reportedly, anyway) is a good sign. If that is true, Rashford is hungry for the right thing by prioritising success and a consistent place in the England squad over a huge salary in the Middle East. Or maybe he has earned enough money from the club silly enough to give him a £315,000-a-week contract…

Moving to Saudi Arabia would be a crying shame and we are thankful he is not throwing in the towel by going there. It does leave us even more uncertain where Rashford will be playing in February, though. His huge salary and Man Utd’s reported £50m asking price will make it difficult for the player and club, with a loan the most likely outcome and staying where he is the second-most likely.

Barcelona is reportedly his ‘dream’ move but that can’t happen given their money issues and PSG are often thrown into the mix whenever there is a sniff of a Rashford transfer, but they are looking to shift Randal Kolo Muani so would be very silly – even for their standards – to pursue the English version of him. It is anyone’s guess where Rashford will go and wherever that may be, he needs to hit the ground running.

After an outstanding 2022/23 campaign with 30 goals, the 27-year-old has been extremely poor, scoring eight times in 23/24 and bagging seven from 24 in the first half of this term. Amazingly, he is United’s joint-top scorer in the Premier League this term with four goals. He scored three in Ruben Amorim’s first two Premier League games and looked like being someone Erik ten Hag’s replacement would get the best out of, yet weeks later the player is surplus to requirements.

Is it a power play, another cost-cutting measure by Sir Jim Ratcliffe or purely down to his poor performances and substandard attitude and application? We might never know.

What we do know is that if Rashford wants to get back in the England squad, he needs to have a strong 2025. If he doesn’t, he will be written off as someone incapable of reaching an elite level again.

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Mohamed Salah
If Mo Salah signs a new contract at Liverpool, 2025 will be all about the Ballon d’Or narrative. Winning the Ballon d’Or is hardly the be all and end all as a footballer but the prestige of the award and how you are perceived for years to come is pretty bloody massive. You then become immortal and one of the greatest of all-time; it is something that separates you from the rest. It would no longer be Salah v Eden Hazard conversations but Salah v Thierry Henry and Kaka, for example.

Salah is now the joint-favourite with Vinicius Junior to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or and rightly so. Vinicus’ placement on top feels more down to reputation and pity over the 2024 debacle than his form – which has still been very good. Salah’s numbers this season are simply astonishing, scoring 20 and assisting 17 in 26 matches at the age of 32, which makes it all the more impressive.

He deserves so much praise for how he has kept himself in shape and adapted his game to maintain the world-class level we have been accustomed to seeing since he joined Liverpool in 2017.

Winning the Ballon d’Or would do so much for Salah’s legacy but his numbers could be all for nothing if Liverpool end up trophyless come May. While the Ballon d’Or is an individual award, it is heavily dependent on team success. A Premier League title alongside 30 to 40 goal involvements should be enough if Vinicius does not win a double or the Treble with Real Madrid.

The biggest conversation around Salah right now is about his contract situation at Liverpool. He is six months from leaving for nothing, which would be catastrophic for the Reds. A contract extension does feel pretty likely, with Virgil van Dijk expected to do the same, while Alexander-Arnold will probably swan off to Madrid to link up with Salah’s Ballon d’Or rival.

If he stays, it feels extremely unlikely that Salah will down tools and sit on his new contract and if the Egyptian leaves, it will be very interesting to see if he plays at the same level elsewhere. We think he probably will.

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