Liverpool FC v Real Madrid C.F. - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5
Mohamed Salah can leave Liverpool on a free transfer next summer as it stands (Picture: Getty)
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has categorically denied claims that the club have entered discussions to sign Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.
Salah’s current deal is due to expire next summer and the 32-year-old – Liverpool’s fifth highest goalscorer in history – has hinted more than once that this season will be his last on Merseyside.
In the aftermath of Liverpool’s 3-2 win away to Southampton, Salah told reporters in the mixed zone at St Mary’s that contract talks were at a standstill and he was ‘more in than out’.
Another bombshell revelation came after Salah netted against Manchester City at the weekend, with the Egyptian suggesting it could be the final time he features against Pep Guardiola’s side at Anfield.
But with Liverpool flying high at the top of the Premier League table, Arne Slot remains relaxed about the situation – in public, at least – and club bosses are still hopeful a resolution can be found.
The Saudi Pro League has long been mooted as a possible destination for Salah next season and an unsuccessful £150million offer from Al-Ittihad was well documented last September.
PSG have also been heavily linked with Salah and reports emanating out of France have indicated that negotiations are underway, with the iconic attacker set to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi in recent years.
FBL-EUR-C1-PSG-PSV
PSG are not in talks for Salah, says club president Al-Khelaifi (Picture: Getty)
However, PSG chief Al-Khelaifi has flat-out denied these rumours, insisting they are ‘simply not true’.
It’s not true. He’s a fantastic player, an amazing player and a great asset, but we’ve never thought, to be honest, about him,’ he told Sky Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg.
‘Every club would want him, for sure, but that rumour is simply not true.
‘I want to stop all the media, whoever is talking from left and right, who wants to sell their newspapers basically, selling rumours that are not true. I want to stop all this.’
On the possibility of PSG bringing in first-team additions in January, Al-Khelaifi replied: ‘If there’s an opportunity, we will of course explore.’
Liverpool FC v Manchester City FC - Premier League
The Egypt international fuelled speculation he could leave Liverpool after scoring against City (Picture: Getty)
After Salah’s latest exit hint, Liverpool boss Slot joked that the forward could have been referencing City’s potential relegation from the Premier League.
‘Maybe Mo knows more about the 115 [charges] so he doesn’t expect them to be in the Premier League next season,’ he told reporters.
‘I do expect them to be in the Premier League. That was a joke! I do repeat, that was a joke.’
The Dutchman added: ‘The boring answer is always the same. This is not the place to talk about Mo’s contract and maybe I’ve said too much with the joke I’ve just made.’
Liverpool Training Session
There remains uncertainty over the future of Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk (Picture: Getty)
As it stands, Trent Alexander-Arnold and club captain Virgil van Dijk could also leave on free transfers at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
But the defensive duo have been far less vocal than Salah regarding their futures and Van Dijk moved to shut down speculation of a possible switch to Real Madrid last week.
Asked whether he could extend his stay at Liverpool, Van Dijk told Spanish TV programme El Chringuito TV: ‘What a direct question from you! They don’t ask me that direct.
’But listen, there is, at the moment, nothing I can say. The only thing that I can say is I’m fully focused on Man City from now on.’
The reporter was not done there, though, telling Van Dijk that Madrid had a spot in central defence that needed filling.
‘Do they? I don’t know,’ the Netherlands centre-back replied.
When reminded of Madrid’s injury concerns at the back, Van Dijk responded: ‘But [Antonio] Rudiger is there, no? I have nothing else to say regarding my future.’
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