John W. Henry’s thoughts on Mo Salah’s price tag haven’t aged well

John W. Henry hasn't quite got the handle of this Moneyball stuff at Liverpool just yet.

Mohamed Salah cost Liverpool not even £2 million more than Andy Carroll. Let that sink in for a moment. By today's market standards, Salah will go down as one of the greatest bargains in Premier League history as his debut season for the Reds has arguably been the most incredible of all time. At the time of writing, Salah has found the net on 41 occasions this term and whatever he accomplishes throughout the remainder of his spell on Merseyside, he has already ensured that he'll be remembered fondly by the Anfield faithful forever more. Salah cost Liverpool just £36.9 million when Jurgen Klopp put his faith in the Egyptian winger last summer and he's exceeded everyone's expectations in the months that followed. But during the negotiations with Roma, Reds owner John W. Henry was concerned that he was overpaying for the 25-year-old. Ahead of the sides' Champions League semi-final meeting on Tuesday, Roma owner James Pallotta revealed that Henry had moaned about the quoted pricetag for Salah when discussions were taking place. Speaking to ESPN, Pallotta said:

"He was sort of bitching a little about, 'Did we overpay? I think we overpaid,' and I said 'I'll buy you lunch.'"

Salah has earned comparisons to both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the talent he's displayed throughout the current campaign and Henry almost certainly feels a tad silly for believing he was being ripped off last June. Pallotta always knew that Salah was a brilliant player but even he's been taken aback by his new-found composure in front of goal.

"Where I’m surprised, is how great he’s finishing," Pallotta said of the recently crowned PFA Player of the Year. "I mean I think he would say that in Rome, while he had a bunch of goals, his frustration was not finishing the same way and now you get the ball near his feet and it just seems like he’s figured a way to put it in the net.

"Do they have bigger nets in the Premier League? It’s just been amazing watching him and every time he scores I’m like, 'Oh dear God!'"