Mohamed Salah and worrying signs of 'high salary syndrome'.

It's an undeniable fact that Juergen Klopp is the one who elevated Mohamed Salah to superstar status. The German strategist brought to Liverpool a player who had never reached 20 goals a season, then transformed him into a phenomenal striker who consistently scored over 20 goals per season, and in eight full seasons with The Reds, he achieved 245 goals in 401 matches.

However, the relationship between Salah and Klopp was not all smooth, especially during the German manager's final year at Anfield. The two often clashed on the pitch, followed by arguments in the dressing room. At times, Salah's role was diminished, even sparking speculation about a potential separation.

However, things changed with the arrival of Arne Slot. The Dutch manager emphasized to Sporting Director Richard Hughes that he wanted to keep Salah at all costs. Ultimately, Liverpool agreed to a new deal with a salary of up to £400,000 per week, allowing Salah to continue his association with Anfield until 2027.

That happy handshake from last season...

Salah repaid Slot with 34 goals and 22 assists across all competitions, helping Liverpool win the Premier League. He himself became the first player in the league to win all three awards: Player of the Season, Top Scorer, and Top Assist Provider.

Few could have predicted that Salah's story would take another turn. He was benched for the match against Galatasaray, and then dropped from the starting lineup for the game against Frankfurt. Worst of all, The Reds' performance in Frankfurt showed that they were better without Salah. Slot's team scored five goals and ended a four-match losing streak across all competitions.

Liverpool's previous poor form is clearly linked to Salah, who hasn't scored in his last six games over the past month. Furthermore, the Egyptian star's inconsistent run of form actually began at the end of last season. Since renewing his contract on November 14th, he has only scored 5 goals in 20 games. Liverpool fans are likely shuddering at the prospect of Salah following in the footsteps of other stars who have declined after receiving high salaries, such as Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Oezil at Arsenal or Marcus Rashford at Manchester United.

...and the cold handshake this season between Salah and Slot.

Slot bravely dropped Salah from the squad for two Champions League matches, but will he do the same in the main Premier League campaign? Will he dare to disregard Salah's status, who sat on a red-covered throne at Anfield during the announcement of his new contract with an astronomical salary?

Before the match against Brentford, Slot said he wanted to see Salah's anger at being benched, which he hoped would motivate him to regain his peak form. He also warned, "If you accept being left out, that's when the opportunity to prove yourself will slip away."

Naturally, both Slot and Liverpool fans were expecting a positive reaction. The only problem is Salah is doing the opposite. Almost immediately after the final whistle in Frankfurt, the Egyptian star removed everything related to Liverpool from his profile on X. This is certainly not a good sign.