'Phenomenal' Mo Salah is deserving of record breaking Liverpool contract

The 30-year-old ended speculation regarding his future at the club by penning a new deal that will run until the summer of 2025, earning him a reported sum of £350k-a-week - a record amount for a Reds' player.

Confirming the news, Salah told the club's website, he said: "I feel great and [I am] excited to win trophies with the club. It's a happy day for everyone.

"It takes a little bit of time, I think, to renew, but now everything is done so we just need to focus on what's next.

"I think you can see in the last five or six years the team was always going [upwards]. Last season we were close to winning four, but unfortunately in the last week of the season we lost two trophies.

"I think we are in a good position to fight for everything. We have new signings as well. We just need to keep working hard, have a good vision, be positive and go for everything again."

Responding to the new deal, Bent told talkSPORT Drive: "They have chucked a load of money at him…but you've got to think about what this guy has done at Liverpool.

"Salah has played 254 games, scoring 156 goals and with 63 assists - that record is incredible.

"From the moment he stepped foot in Liverpool he has been phenomenal, and I mean phenomenal.

"He has scored goals from the moment he turned up, broken records left, right and centre.

"They've just lost one of their best players in Mane and the players are probably feeling down about that, but then someone of Salah's quality re-signs for the club, it's superb. Well played the Liverpool board.

"I can only imagine for the players at Liverpool who know how important Mo Salah is, if you're Jurgen Klopp and that fan base, they must be absolutely delighted with this. It will be a big boost for those players, and fantastic news for the Premier League as well.

"His best years are not behind him, he is in his prime right now. He may be 30, but he is in supreme nick and is still top, top quality."

Bent added: "Next season he will score over 20 league goals again. He's won the Golden Boot three times, he's broken the record for goals in a Premier League season, the records just keep tumbling for the guy.

"Look at Salah's numbers - they're ridiculous. He got 32 goals in his first season, then 22 the next, then 19, 22 again, and he got 23 last season - and that's just the Premier League, by the way!

"What are you supposed to do with those numbers? Phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal.

"Yes, he's now on £350,000-a-week, but if you want to keep competing with the likes of Man City you have to pay a premium to keep these players. Virgil van Dijk could be next, he's up there.

"They've brought in Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, but you still don't know how they're going to progress over the next few years. The new signings will have to earn the right to get up to that level."

Asked if he thought Man City signing Erling Haaland this summer was possibly the reason behind Salah's new deal, Bent said: "No, I just think Liverpool thought they couldn't afford to lose Mane and Salah one season apart. They can't do that.

"But now they've re-signed him on a new deal - wow."