Mo Salah has raised questions over his future at Liverpool, suggesting this season will be his final one; the forward was speaking after his side beat Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford - a game in which he scored and registered two assists; Salah's contract expires next summer
Monday 2 September 2024 08:16, UK
Mo Salah has said this season will be his "last year" at Liverpool, adding that "nobody has talked to me" about his expiring contract.
Speaking after Liverpool's 3-0 Premier League win at Manchester United - where Salah had a hand in all three goals - the forward said: "I had a good summer and had a long time to myself to try to stay positive because as you know it's my last year at the club.
"I just want to enjoy it and I don't want to think about it. I feel like I'm free to play football and then we'll see what happens next year."
However, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has predicted Salah might yet stay on: "I would be very surprised if Salah isn't playing for Liverpool next season," said Carragher.
Salah set up Luis Diaz's double and then scored a third to silence Old Trafford on Super Sunday, before appearing to confirm his Liverpool exit would be at the end of this season when interviewed post-match.
He continued: "Coming into the game, I said it could be the last time [I play here with Liverpool].
"No-one at the club has spoken to me about contracts, so I'm just like, 'OK, I'm playing my last season' and see what happens at the end of the season.
"So far, we don't know with which club, but so far yeah my last game here with Liverpool. It's not up to me but nobody talk to me about a contract with the club. We'll see."
Salah, whose contract expires next July, has been at Anfield since the summer of 2017, when he signed from Roma for a then club-record fee.
Liverpool turned down a verbal offer worth more than £100m for Salah from Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad at the end of the summer transfer window in 2023.
At that point in time, Salah did not want to leave Merseyside. The Egyptian international turns 33 next June.
Arne Slot wants to enjoy Salah's talents for as long as possible after the Egyptian scored one and set up two goals in Liverpool's 3-0 win away to rivals Manchester United.
Asked about Salah's comments, Slot said: "It's a lot of 'if'. At this moment, he is one of ours and I am really happy with him being one of ours and he played really well.
"I don't talk about contracts from players but I can talk for hours about how Mo played today."
Jamie Carragher: "I think Mo Salah is obsessed, like Ronaldo, with records and longevity. Most of us think, when you get to 35, you're done in football. The way that lad looks after himself, I think he's thinking of playing until he's 40, or late 30s at least.
"I don't think a Saudi situation is on the cards next season. He's too good. He's playing in the best league in the world, for one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"Whether it's in another season or two seasons' time, he's alongside Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard as the top players to play for Liverpool. He's possibly the best wide player we've seen in the Premier League, even if hasn't got the medals that maybe some others have got.
"Of course you fight to keep him. It's not about throwing money at him. It's not what you've done in the past, it's what you're doing in the future.
"When you get into your mid-30s, you can't do what you did before - but he might be different. Of course Liverpool want to keep him and Virgil van Dijk, but it will probably be about wages. Are they still on the same wages because, in the next two or three years, will they still be the same players? That's the debate that will be had.
"I would be very surprised if Salah isn't playing for Liverpool next season because I think he'll want to blitz every record in the club's history."
Melissa Reddy: "Mohamed Salah underscored his influence to Liverpool at Old Trafford and then intensified the pressure on the club to offer him a new contract after admitting no talks have taken place yet.
"The 32-year-old is in the final year of his deal and has maintained he is not wasting mental energy focusing on the situation, however Sky Sports News understands his preference would be to remain with the Anfield side.
"Salah has not considered any other club yet, but feels he still has years left at the highest level. He wants to be competing for the biggest prizes and so interest from Saudi Arabia would not be enticing at present.
"Salah's position has been that Liverpool need to start a dialogue over fresh terms as it is not his job to push for it.
"The fact that there has not even been a discussion yet, with no proposal drafted for him to consider, is a significant detail.
"The club's silence thus far seems to suggest they are comfortable letting him leave on a free after seven seasons of him making extraordinary the norm.
"Replacing Salah, especially in today's market, would be incredibly difficult.
"That is without adding the complication that Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also in the final year of their deals.
"Liverpool have enormous work to do."
Roy Keane: "He's in control of that [his contract]. I know clubs have policies about letting players' contracts run down when they get to 31, 32, but he'll decide what he wants to do.
"They'll obviously have to offer him a contract - he's their main player. But put it this way: he will have plenty of options."
Daniel Sturridge: "I would be surprised [if they let him go]. Mo has achieved pretty much everything he could at the club but I've not seen him happier.
"The way he was speaking then was as if, 'I want to be at the club'. If the club are going to give him what he wants then he'll stay. I really hope he does stay because he's been magnificent."
