Mo Salah is having the best season of his career but Liverpool’s owners must act now to prevent history repeating itself, writes LEWIS STEELE

British readers might not know the name of Mookie Betts but stick with us. In 2019, the Boston Red Sox shortstop was one of the best baseball players in the world – but had just one year remaining on his contract and was being paid top dollar, as the Americans would say.

Fenway Sports Group, the owners who ended a 86-year title drought called the ‘Curse of the Bambino’, did not want to pay Betts the money. And so he left, won two World Series at the Los Angeles Dodgers and FSG were – and still are – criticised for a monumental mess-up.

Betts did not want to leave, is still at his peak now, and has gone on record saying he loved the club. He wanted to stay at Fenway Park for his whole career. But his contract never got sorted. This is important because, of course, FSG are also the owners of Liverpool.

And Tuesday marks 50 days until Mohamed Salah can talk to foreign clubs about joining them as a free agent in the summer when his Liverpool deal expires. That sentence should set deafening bells ringing around the world but especially in Merseyside and Massachusetts.

Christmas trees will be up before we know it, fireworks going off for New Year’s Eve — and, in the blink of an eye, those 50 days will soon turn into zero. Now more than ever, it feels pertinent to say again: Liverpool must act to sign Salah up to a new contract.

Betts was one of the world’s best players but the Red Sox did not want to pay him top dollar

Liverpool, who share owners with Boston, now have one of the best footballers in the world

A banner in the Kop told the owners what to do. ‘FSG… he fires a bow,’ read the message by local artist Gary Rogers, a nod to his trademark celebration with a picture of him performing it. ‘Now give Mo his dough.’

On the pitch, the Egyptian proved why he is worthy of paying said money. After 17 games, he has scored 10 goals and registered 10 assists.

The only Premier League player that runs him close is Erling Haaland with 15 goals (and zero assists).

Scoring or assisting at a rate of a direct goal involvement every 67 minutes, Salah is statistically having the best season of his career.

That’s better than his 58 goal involvements in 2017-18 which came at a rate of one every 71 minutes. Like a fine wine, as the saying goes.

Salah has been the best player in the Premier League this season. Captain Virgil van Dijk would agree and he said: ‘Mo is a special player. He’s been like that for so many years, not just this year.

‘I see the hard work he puts in on a daily basis. It’s how consistent he is, especially with his numbers but with his performances as well. He’s a special athlete, a special player and a legend of the club. I’m very pleased that we still share a pitch together.’

Pushed on whether Salah, 32, can continue for many years to come, Van Dijk added: ‘Physically, I can definitely see that happening. Mentally, that’s in his hands. With certain players, you see how they keep playing at the highest level. He’s definitely one of them.’

But Mo Salah will soon be able to leave Anfield on a free transfer if he doesn’t sign a new deal

Salah hit his 10th goal of the season on Saturday as Liverpool beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield

The 32-year-old Egyptian’s current contract with Liverpool is due to expire on June 30, 2025

Slot echoed that sentiment last week by saying ‘there is no reason to think his level is dropping, that’s not what you see with his numbers’ before name-checking Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as reasons why top athletes can play into their late 30s. 

Michael Edwards, the CEO of football at FSG, has previously been reluctant when it comes to offering 30-somethings big deals.

As Liverpool’s top-earner on £350,000 a week – plus a shed load of bonuses and sponsorship deals – this is obviously a sticking point.

That policy is admirable and has helped Liverpool to succeed in the past decade by constantly replacing the elder statesmen with talented youngsters.

But Salah is a reason to make an exemption and, to use the words on that banner, it is time to pay Mo the dough.