00:00Salah and Van Dijk's drop-off in form this season can be easily explained by one thing,
00:04they're not in a contract year anymore. The contract year is a fascinating phenomenon.
00:08A term born out of the NBA, it refers to a player who is entering the final year of their contract
00:13and, as a result, locks in more than ever. Salah and Van Dijk are two prime examples of this. Last
00:19year, with no guarantees over their future, they both defied farther time by putting in two of the
00:23best seasons of their respective careers. Salah's was arguably the best individual season we've ever
00:28seen in the Premier League, Van Dijk carried an underperforming Liverpool backline. They both
00:32got their big contracts and now they're both struggling. It can go the other way too, as it
00:36did for Trent Alexander-Arnold. With no intention of signing, a player who has deliberately entered
00:40his contract year can sometimes down tools and lumber to an underwhelming finale at their club.
00:45Quick shout out to Steph Curry, who delivered the NBA's first and only ever unanimous MVP season
00:50after getting a massive contract. What an athlete. Salah and Van Dijk's seasons left Liverpool with
00:55no choice but to give them a big payday. It's just the way the cookie crumbles. I wonder
00:59if they'd change those decisions given the chance now.
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