The Mané contract saga never truly developed. Liverpool were seemingly stalling talks until this summer, but the player made it clear that he wanted a move to Bayern Munich, meaning Julian Ward was left to haggle over a transfer fee rather than wages.

Nonetheless, there were reports that Mané was asking for sky-high amounts. Whether or not that was true, it seems he has settled on a relatively modest increase at Bayern, where he is set to earn in the region of £250,000, according to the Mirror.

Ultimately, the question of whether Liverpool would have met these demands is moot. It is clear that Mané wanted to move on, and he has earned the right to do so in a relatively drama-free way. Even so, it is a little galling to see one of the team’s major stars tempted away by a salary to which the FSG wage structure could surely have stretched.

One contract saga that certainly has materialised is that of Mohamed Salah. His future has been up in the air for the best part of a year, with talks taking place behind the scenes but seemingly never progressing in any convincing way.

The latest update does precious little to change that position. The Mirror reports that Liverpool have now gone as far the wage structure allows, and will not return with improved terms. Barring a change of heart from Salah himself, it appears that the Egyptian will leave on a free transfer at the end of his contract.

FSG have won literally every major trophy on offer with their careful approach to squad management, so they have perhaps earned some trust over big decisions like these. With Salah said to be demanding £400,000 per week, Liverpool’s perspective is understandable. But that does not change the fact that it would be a bitter blow to see one of the world’s best players leave for nothing.