As Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool contract continues to wind down, one ex-Premier League defender has revealed what the mood in the Anfield dressing room will really be like
Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah's Liverpool contract is set to expire in 2025
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Image: Getty Images)
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Mohamed Salah’s outspoken contract dispute with Liverpool will be ‘tough’ for the Anfield dressing room, admits ex-West Ham and Aston Villa defender James Collins.
As Arne Slot’s team continue to tick along at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League tables, negotiations towards a new contract with star forward Salah are not progressing as smoothly.
Having previously come out saying that this campaign could be his last with the Reds, the Egyptian told reporters after an away victory against Southampton last month that he is standing ‘more out than in’ regarding leaving Merseyside, sending shockwaves throughout the club.
Salah is yet to be offered a new deal, and such an openly-spoken contractual dispute is something that Collins, who made over 200 appearances for the Hammers, is all too familiar with – and an occurrence he fails to grasp from a player’s front.
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“It’s tough. I always found it strange,” Collins admitted to former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman when asked about Salah’s situation on the Seaman Says podcast, brought to you by Betway. “I found myself lucky to be a footballer, giving my all every day.
“With the Salah comments, he’s probably a bit surprised himself – I don’t think he’s been offered a contract. Who knows. I think he’s the highest-paid at Liverpool. He'd be looking for a deal.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool looks dejected during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between Liverpool FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Anfield on October 02, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Salah's Liverpool deal runs out in 2025
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Image:
Carl Recine/Getty Images)
“Van Dijk’s up as well, and Trent [Alexander-Arnold]. As a player, you’d be thinking – a top, top player – he must be thinking, ‘what is going on’ – unless it's not the right contract.”
Collins harkened back to a situation that occurred at the London Stadium, where West Ham talisman Dimitri Payet suddenly expressed a desire not to play for the club midway through the 2016/17 season, attempting to force a move back to France with Marseille.
“We had a famous one at West Ham with Dimitri Payet, who came in and – he’s playing for France doing really well – he came in and basically said to Slaven Bilic, ‘I’m finished. I’m not playing for the club anymore.’
“I could never get my head around it. If West Ham asked me to play in goal, I’d play, and you try your best. It wouldn’t have gone well, but you know what I mean? I didn’t get it; I never have.
Payet forced his way out of West Ham ( Image: GETTY)
"I know people who have had contract disputes. It goes on in football. But, to refuse to play for a club, I know Salah hasn’t done that, but it does happen.
“I must say to go back to Dimitri, we had a really strong dressing room. As soon as he said that, that was it, he was done, he had to go. The manager knew he had to go, and he did.
“He must be a very brave man, Dimi, to do it to West Ham fans as well; they're very strong, opinionated fans. It was tough. I felt really sorry for Slaven Bilic at the time. Our best player – he was doing the free kicks he scored and stuff like that. The assists he used to get. It was a shame. But, like I said, we had a strong dressing room, and as soon as he did that, he was done, and he had to go.”
Salah is not following a similar path to Payet at Anfield, and if ex-Egypt defender and beIN Sports analyst Haytham Farouk is to be believed, a new deal could be close. He posted to X this week after his compatriot's brace against Newcastle: "Congratulations on renewing your contract with the number you like and the period you want. The Egyptian king rules with his own judgments."
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