Mohamed Salah might make a stunning transfer to one of Liverpool’s rivals, despite the fact that he apparently wants to stay in the Premier League even if he cannot agree on a new contract with the Reds.
Salah has signed a contract with Jurgen Klopp’s team for the 2022-23 season, but his future beyond that period is unknown.
According to reports, the 29-year-old would rather stay in the Premier League than transfer abroad when his contract at Anfield expires, raising the ire of Liverpool’s opponents.
Salah has been in negotiations with Liverpool for almost a year about extending his current contract but has yet to sign a new contract.
Salah and Liverpool have not had face-to-face meetings in six months, according to The Athletic.
When Salah’s new deal was last considered, there was allegedly a significant disparity between what he sought and what the club was ready to provide, but precise figures are unknown.
Salah is expected to become the world’s sixth-highest paid player after scoring 156 goals in 254 appearances since joining Liverpool from Roma for £43.9 million in the summer of 2017.
On the list of the world’s highest earners, a new contract would rank him below PSG quartet Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi, Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, and Erling Haaland, who has signed the a large contract akin to Kevin De Bruyne’s at Manchester City.
Salah, who has stated that he is not seeking ‘crazy’ terms, is willing to sign a two-year extension but is not seeking the stability of a four-year contract.
Last season, the Egyptian, who shared the Premier League golden boot with Tottenham’s Son Heung-min and topped the assist charts with 13, is said to be content at Liverpool.
Salah is expected to lead Liverpool’s charge to reclaim the Premier League from Manchester City, although he may opt-out of his contract and become a free agent in June 2023, something the club will seek to prevent.
Liverpool’s attitude has never changed in that they want Salah and his striking partner Sadio Mane to stay – chairman Tom Werner restated that stance last week – but teams are chasing the Senegal international, notably Bayern Munich, who seems to be on his way out of Anfield.
Mane, who has 120 goals in 269 appearances for Liverpool, is reported to have been valued at £42.5 million by the club.
If Mane leaves, Liverpool will need to bolster their attacking options in the summer, since Divock Origi is set to join AC Milan on a free transfer.
After opting to push forward their bid for the highly-rated Colombian, the Reds bought Luis Diaz from Porto for an initial £37.5 million in January.
Liverpool won the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, finished second in the Premier League, and were defeated by Real Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday in Paris.