Fenway Sports Group have been told to act quickly to prevent Mo Salah departing Anfield as a free agent this summer with an ideal solution to his contract stand-off suggested – and amid new reports that claim the Liverpool talisman has offered his services to another Euro giant.
Salah has proved an absolute transfer steal, blasting his way to an incredible 243 goals in Liverpool colours since a bargain £36.9m move from Roma in summer 2017. Now third on the club’s all-time top goalscorers charts, the Egyptian has led the way in all seven – and soon eight – of his seasons on Merseyside.
However, with his deal due to expire at the season’s end, Salah is eligible to walk away from Anfield as a free agent – and there seemingly will be no shortage of takers for the 32-year-old, who is currently in the form of his life.
With clubs in Saudi Arabia looking to pay Salah a salary beyond his wildest dreams – figures of £1.5m a week have been bandied about – it’s little wonder that tying the player down to a fresh deal has proved problematic.
Part of the issue evolves around knowing how long the 32-year-old can maintain his ridiculous levels and we understand the club are using data to analyse just how long a contract to offer him.
Irrespective of that, Liverpool great Mark Lawrenson has advised FSG to forget all about his advancing years and give him a two-year extension with the option of a third.
“I mean, if you were in the shoes of the owners, you’d give him two years with a one,” Lawrenson said on talkSPORT about Salah’s Liverpool future. “I don’t think he will go to Saudi Arabia, what is the point?”
Ridiculing question marks over how long he can play for at the very top, Lawrenson added: “He’s bulked up, I think he is harder to shove off the ball now. This season he has been absolutely brilliant.”
Lawrenson advice on Salah comes amid fresh claims in the media over the player’s next club and with reports in Spain now suggesting the Egyptian has ‘offered himself’ to Barcelona.
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The latest on Mo Salah future as star ‘offers himself’ to Barcelona
Claims that Salah has offered his services to Barcelona have emerged from Spanish outlet Sport, who suggest that the player’s representatives have reached out to the Spanish giants to ascertain whether they would be interested in signing the player as a free agent.
Claiming that ‘anything is possible’ and how the forward ‘fits their profile’, the article also does acknowledge the great difficulty Barca would have in financing such a deal, especially given their well-publicised financial difficulties.
Nonetheless, it’s claimed that Salah is keen to make the move if the opportunity arises and if Hansi Flick gives the move the green light, then Barca will do all in their power to shift various players and fund his expectedly-large wages.
At the same time, our soures understand that Salah’s main focus remains on staying at Anfield and thrashing out fresh terms with the Reds. His wife, Magi, and their two young daughters are settled in the area and a move away, while not ruled out, is a scenario the family would rather avoid at this moment in time.
Despite that, Salah has continued to make noises in the media that this is indeed his final season at Liverpool. And his tears on the pitch after the Champions League exit on penalties to PSG will only fuel suggestions that he is due to depart.
Salah himself did not provide an update on his future after the game but did say in an interview with Steve McManaman on TNT Sports earlier this month: “I want fans to remember that I gave it all to the fans, I gave it all to the city. I was here, I wasn’t lazy, I just enjoyed my football and gave it my all.
“I think that’s what the city is about – they give you love and you have a connection with them because you give your all. I just want them to remember that I was here for eight years and I gave it all.”
When asked again by McManaman if there had been any progress on a new contract at Liverpool, Salah added: “In a very polite way [no].”
Discussing Salah’s tears and whether that will be his last game in Europe for Liverpool, Slot sent a simple message.
“That is the last thing I think about!” Slot said. “It is creative to come up with the contract situation.
“It is hard; last season, we weren’t in the Champions League. Liverpool showed ourselves in this competition as we want to.”
Latest Liverpool news: Salah heir targeted; Henry’s Ballon d’Or fear
Meanwhile, speculative reports on Wednesday claimed the Reds are making plans for life after Salah and have ironically targeted the signing of a Barcelona star themselves as a replacement.
And while competition for the player in question – Raphinha – will be tough, the report claims the Reds have two key advantages over the former Leeds star’s suitors when it comes to luring him back to the Premier League.
Salah’s form this season has seen the Egyptian earmarked as a potential winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or award. However, Thierry Henry fears the Reds’ early exit could now seriously damage his claims and with the Arsenal legend naming the player he sees as favourite to win it instead.
Elsewhere, Liverpool have been told they will be signing one of the best around in Dean Huijsen as the Reds prepare to meet his hefty buyout clause – and sources have revealed to TEAMtalk exactly why the player ticks three major boxes for sporting director Richard Hughes.
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