Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has labelled Mohamed Salah as “selfish” for openly voicing his dissatisfaction regarding the club’s lack of a new contract offer.
Salah, whose existing contract concludes at the season’s end, expressed to reporters following Sunday’s victory against Southampton that he is “probably more out than in” and has not yet received an offer for a new agreement.
At 32 years old, the player has emerged as Liverpool’s leading scorer this season, netting 12 goals across all competitions. His two goals against Southampton propelled the club to an eight-point lead at the summit of the Premier League.
“I must express my disappointment with Mo Salah,” Carragher remarked during Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. Liverpool is set to face Real Madrid midweek in the Champions League, followed by a match against Manchester City over the weekend. The current narrative unfolds as follows.
He stated, “If he continues to make comments and his agent releases cryptic messages, that behaviour is selfish.” Such actions reflect a self-centred mindset rather than a commitment to the football club.
Liverpool has yet to issue a public statement regarding Salah’s comments; however, a source within the club informed BBC Sport that discussions between Liverpool and Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, are continuing and have been constructive.
During a BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club appearance, Chris Sutton remarked that Mohamed Salah’s choice to engage with reporters in the mixed zone regarding his future indicates a desire to remain at Anfield.
“It was not a situation where Mo Salah was requested to comment; rather, he took the initiative to reach out to several press members to express his thoughts,” stated the former Blackburn and Chelsea striker. “In that regard, it indicates that he intends to remain.”
Rory Smith from The Athletic remarked, “It seems evident that he is communicating to Liverpool fans his desire to remain, and should he not stay, it would not be due to any lack of intent on his side.”
The issue at hand will be his age. Liverpool is set to analyse the extensive data collection on footballers spanning the past two to three decades, indicating that performance levels tend to decline as players reach their mid-30s. Questions are likely to arise regarding the justification of investing approximately £300,000 weekly in a player who may only maintain this level of performance for another year.
“Could it be possible for him to maintain this level for another two years?” Or an additional five or six? Liverpool faces a significant risk with this decision.
In addition to Salah, defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and club captain Virgil van Dijk are set to see their contracts expire after the season.
“This season, the primary focus for Liverpool Football Club transcends the futures of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold,” Carragher stated. Winning the Premier League is paramount for Liverpool.
“There is a concern that the departure of certain individuals could lead to the disintegration of the club.” The subsequent manager led the team to a Premier League victory following Steven Gerrard’s departure. Following Graeme Souness’s departure, Liverpool achieved a remarkable Double triumph.
“Would we miss Salah?” Indeed, we would. Liverpool is set to progress forward.
