It was fitting, in a perverse way, that Mohamed Salah's contract saga ended the same way it really began for Liverpool: With a mysterious Twitter post from Ramy Abbas.
It was back in March that a timely tweet from Salah's agent, Abbas, went viral after a response from Jurgen Klopp about the contract situation of his top scorer at an AXA Centre press conference.
"We cannot do much more, that's how it is," Klopp said on the eve of a trip to Brighton on March 11. "But I don't think it's about that. It's Mo's decision pretty much. The club did what the club can do. That's how it is.
BREAKING: Mohamed Salah signs new Liverpool contract
LIVE: Mohamed Salah contract reaction as Liverpool striker signs new deal
"Nothing bad to say about it. It's fine from my point of view. It's exactly like it should be in this moment in time. Everything is set. Nothing happened further, no signing, no rejection or whatever."
The comments quickly reached Abbas, who responded in kind with something he has made a trademark during his time representing Salah.
The coy, cryptic - and it must be said, childish - riposte on Twitter of seven laughing-face emojis inevitably set tongues wagging and speculation flying over the future of Liverpool's No.11.
But if those seven emojis found their mark a few months back, then so too did the one he strategically sent out into the social media realms on Friday afternoon.
Reds fans raged, with many fearing that it was a response to another hiccup in the hope of retaining Salah for the long haul and given Abbas' flair for the enigmatic in recent years, their immediate frustration was entirely understandable.
The laughing face even drew the ire from the legendary Jamie Carragher, who posted in response: "All Reds love your client, and if he is to leave next summer we will wish him well & say a big thank you. But we can do without this cryptic crap for the next 12 months! @MoSalah have a word!!"
It didn't take long for all to be forgiven, though; at 4pm, it was finally announced that Salah would indeed be staying with the club who have helped him become a global superstar these past five years.
It's understood that a face-to-face meeting between Salah's camp and sporting director Julian Ward and FSG president Mike Gordon, which took place in Miami at the turn of the year, was key to broadly getting a structure in place over the terms.
A revised offer in March, via email, did little to further the discussions, but Liverpool always retained the hope that this would be a deal they could complete. After all, the alternative of losing him on a free transfer just did not bear thinking about.
And while talks have continued infrequently since January, it's been this week that has truly seen the negotiations accelerate. A Liverpool delegation, again led by the impressive Ward, flew to where Salah is holidaying, which is believed to be the Greek island of Mykonos, to secure the biggest deal of the summer.
Liverpool sources are refusing to divulge the exact figure of the terms, for obvious reasons, but it comfortably makes Salah the highest-paid player of all time at Anfield and the key decision-makers are firm in their agreement that he will maintain his extraordinary levels well into his mid-30s.
It's why there is little apprehension over the decision to reward a player who has just turned 30 with the most sizable terms ever handed out at Liverpool FC.
It's understood the heavily incentivised deal comes in at around £350,000 and centres around goal involvements, but such are the terms that Salah could even earn over £400,000 should he continue to deliver big returns for Klopp's men.
And while it is a blockbuster deal that breaks new ground at the club, it's one that has not played fast and loose with the particular financial model that has underpinned the success of recent years.
It's understood that Salah never had any intention of being offloaded this summer and when he spoke before the Champions League final of remaining a Liverpool player for the forthcoming season, it was not an empty soundbite designed to ease the speculation ahead of the biggest game in club football.
Both parties have wanted this outcome for some time, so it represents a big success that it has been able to be concluded decisively just days before Salah reports for day one of pre-season on Monday.
Now, what emoji best sums up the biggest deal of all time at Liverpool?
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