Slot: Salah Hasn't Reached His Peak Yet, and We're Happy with His Contract Renewal

Dutch coach Arne Slot, manager of Liverpool FC, spoke at the press conference ahead of the match against West Ham in the 32nd round of the Premier League, scheduled for Sunday, April 13, at Anfield Stadium, at 3 PM Cairo time.

During the press conference, Slot discussed several important issues, primarily the renewal of the contract for Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, the team's preparations following the defeat to Fulham, as well as the status of goalkeeper Alisson and the club's summer plans.

Slot said: "Everyone sees me calm regarding the contract renewal issue, and the reason for that is that I trust the quality of the players, as well as the leadership within the club, and I believe they will make the best decisions for the team."

He added: "Renewing Salah's contract is fantastic news and we are very happy for all Liverpool fans. We are extremely pleased with his continuation; Salah is a wonderful player and has had an excellent season, but all the talk about his contract in the media while we were following the negotiations with confidence."

He continued: "I spoke with Mohamed Salah about the negotiations, and I was part of them, but the credit does not go to me, it goes to Salah, his agent, and the club's management, all of whom put in a lot of effort."

He confirmed: "It is beneficial to resolve contract issues before the end of the season, and we will see what happens in the coming period, but the most important thing now is that we are happy with Salah's contract renewal; he is an amazing player and possesses a strong mentality that allows him to score at any moment."

He added: "Salah is evaluated as a player, but I see him as a humble person who works hard every day to be at his best; he is a role model both on and off the pitch."

Regarding Salah's performance with the team, Slot said: "Salah is close to reaching the peak of his level, not at the end of his career; this season he has given his best, but the real challenge in football is consistency, and that is the hardest part, especially in the winger position which requires creativity. Even when he is not at his best, Salah remains a constant threat to any defense."

On the defeat against Fulham, he said: "Our mistakes were limited, but we paid the price; we made only three or four mistakes that led to three goals. Some said that the first half was the worst, but I did not see the performance as that bad; we showed strong character despite being behind, and that is the mentality we are looking for."

Regarding Alisson's readiness for the West Ham match, Slot clarified: "Yes, Alisson participated in training and is ready to participate normally."

He commented on the club's summer transfer plan, saying: "It is important that we have kept a player of Salah's caliber, who has scored a large number of goals over the past years, because the final evaluation of the team is always based on the number of goals."

When asked about the semi-automatic offside technology, he said: "I am in favor of this technology; it helps referees make accurate decisions and also benefits fans, especially with the presentation of clips in 3D technology."

He concluded his statements by discussing Konate's performance, saying: "Substituting Konate against Fulham was not due to his performance, but because we needed to take risks to score goals; he has developed a lot in building play and was good with France in the World Cup."