Liverpool’s poor April continued with a disappointing 2-2 draw away to West Ham. The travelling Reds experienced some familiar recent issues – a failure to be cutthroat in attack whilst conceding sloppy goals at the back meant that Jürgen Klopp’s men could only take a point from the London Stadium.
The match was notable for an angry exchange between the outgoing boss and star player Mo Salah. The Egyptian has been a shadow of his former self since returning from injury and was left out of the starting lineup. The winger appeared to snub his manager’s handshake and the pair exchanged angry words on the touchline. Salah then told journalists after the match there would be ‘fire’ if he spoke about the incident.
The 31-year-old has also been making headlines off the pitch this week, with the Athletic’s David Ornstein reporting that the club expect him to stay, despite rejecting bids from Saudi clubs earlier in the season. Mo’s wage structure-busting contract expires in the summer of 2025 which would enable him to leave on a free transfer.
On the latest episode of our Journo Insight show, we asked experienced LFC journalist Neil Jones for his thoughts on the Salah story.
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Neil said:
“I wouldn’t sell him at any point, just because I think Liverpool need as many players as they can bank on – and he’s one of them.
“I wouldn’t have sold him. I didn’t see the footballing value in doing so. Obviously, the financial element is different.
“I still think there could be a decision and there could be a twist to be made because that’s easy to say, isn’t it? ‘We expect him to stay,’ but when an offer emerges, you don’t know how much an offer could be.
“I think the story said he’s given no indication that he wants to leave. Well, what if he does in the meantime?
“I think it’s a positive for Liverpool if Salah does stay. That sounds ridiculous to even have to say it… Mo Salah’s got nothing to prove.
“You know that if he stays next season, the bare minimum that he’ll get is 20 goals, 15 assists, most likely. The bare minimum you get is ultimate professionalism in terms of his preparation, his training, his willingness to make himself available and to try and get there.
“We’ll see what develops. I still think there probably will be some more rumblings regarding Saudi Arabia. If it is the case that Salah’s going to stay on Merseyside for another season, I’m all in on that.”
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Redmen Reacts
Whilst it is certainly the case that Mo Salah has not been at his best since returning from injury, there has been a rush in some quarters to write him off as ‘finished’ or past his best. Salah will be turning 32 in June, and whilst he is nearer to the end of his career than the start, players such as Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo have all proved it is possible for dedicated players to continue scoring regularly into their mid-30s. If Liverpool are to cash in on Mo, this summer seems like the last opportunity to do so.
With some of the initial rush of European-based players becoming unsettled in Saudi Arabia, it seems as if the project is not expanding at the same pace as last summer. Incoming FSG Head of Football Michael Edwards has previously been unwilling to offer lucrative contract extensions to players over 30. Perhaps an exception will be made for Salah. A small extension would avoid the loss of a saleable asset for free whilst giving the player the opportunity to prove that his current form is merely a blip.
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