Mo Salah’s lack of viable options will lead to him remaining on Merseyside, that's according to the club’s former defender turned pundit, Jamie Carragher. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Carragher even admitted he has tried to get information from the club on the situation.
“I’ve tried to get information from the club because I knew I’d be asked about it, but they’re not giving anything away,” he explained. “Me personally, I think he should stay on the same amount of money and give him a two-year deal. Now, the club might be offering him one year and he might want three – we don’t know what it is."
Carragher also believes that a lack of genuine options will lead to the 32-year-old star signing a contract extension. “I love Mo Salah, he’s one of the best players in the world, but the reason I say this is because of his age.
‘He’s not ready to go to Saudi Arabia’
“When you’re on that type of money and you’re talking about getting a raise – a raise isn’t 10 or 20 grand a week. How many attackers do Real Madrid have, Barcelona are in dire straits financially, PSG are nowhere near the team Liverpool are – there are only four or five teams that can realistically win the Champions League and Liverpool are one of them.
“He will stay as I’m not sure there are too many options. He’s not ready to go to Saudi [Arabia] – he can do that in three years’ time. Salah is that driven as a footballer to win the record of most goals – or whatever that may be for Liverpool.”
Salah’s current contract is believed to be worth around £350,000 to £400,000 per week and discussions are said to be now taking place. Last month, Salah said he was yet to be offered a new contract and that he was probably ‘more out than in’ with The Reds.
The situation is further complicated by the fact two other star players' deals, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, are also set to expire. Carragher believes their situations will be treated differently to Salah’s.
“When you think about it, Mo Salah is on £350,000-£400,000 grand a week – Liverpool signed him for £40 million. Trent is probably on half that money, and he cost nothing, but there is no banner in the Kop saying, ‘Give Trent his doll’ and there never will be one.
“I look at when Michael Owen left to go to Real Madrid, Steve McManaman did the same and not thought of the same – because when you’re a local player – you’re almost seen as if you should be almost grateful to play for the club. ‘This is your club – who do you think you are almost type of thing’. The Trent thing will start kicking off and I can assure you it won’t be fans saying, ‘Give him what he wants’, it will be, ‘Who does he think he is’.”
Carragher’s belief that Salah, ranked at no.7 in FourFourTwo's list of the best players in the world right now, should remain at Liverpool on the same terms, with a two-year contract is up for debate.
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, the situation is delicate and it is telling that Mo Salah seems to be the one discussing his contract more publicly compared to Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold who are both in the same boat.
That might suggest Salah is angling for increased terms, which might stretch Liverpool. Salah’s form this season however has reinforced his case.
Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving doesn’t free up as much on the wage bill as Van Dijk and Salah leaving would. But the homegrown player is probably the most likely to depart with an obvious destination being Real Madrid.
The player himself told me in January that he harbours ambitions to become regarded as the best player in the world. To achieve that he needs a headline-grabbing move and Real Madrid is exactly that.
Add in his friendship with Jude Bellingham, the stage of his career, and Real’s Madrid needing a possible long-term contingency for 32-year-old right-back Dani Carvajal and I foresee Alexander Arnold leaving, Van Dijk staying on similar terms, with Salah staying on better terms.
Jamie Carragher was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet
