Richard Keys has claimed to have ‘information’ that Mo Salah wants to remain at Liverpool beyond the end of this season, if the club can ‘settle him down’ in terms of offering him a new contract.
The Egyptian’s current deal expires next June, and he poured fuel on the flames of ongoing speculation with a social media post on Sunday in which he stated: ‘No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like’.
That comment have inevitably led to renewed worries among Reds fans that the 32-year-old could already be into the final knockings of his career on Merseyside, although one broadcaster has interpreted it differently.
Keys claims Salah wants to stay
Writing on his eponymous blog, Keys claimed: “Mo Salah’s latest cryptic tweet has caused a bit of a stir, which is exactly what he wanted of course.
“Two seasons back he was definitely leaving the club – that was until Liverpool had a dramatic change of mind – sold [Sadio] Mane and decided to make Salah the highest-paid player at the club.”
The beIN SPORTS presenter added: “My information now is that Salah wants to stay, but it’ll take a 3-year deal to settle him down.”
Liverpool simply must keep Salah
Assuming Keys’ information is indeed accurate, it’s encouraging to hear that Salah is keen to remain at Liverpool, but whether or not the club would hand him a three-year contract extension is rather debatable.
If any new deal includes a pay packet of broadly the same £350,000 per week that he’s pocketing now (Capology), it’d be quite a departure by FSG to commit such vast wages for three years to a player who’ll turn 33 next June.
A certain element of compromise could be needed – maybe the Egyptian could accept a reduced salary in favour of stability and longevity, or perhaps he’d continue enjoying what he currently earns for another year or two.
Looking at the jaw-dropping manner with which he scored Liverpool’s winner against Brighton on Saturday – already his ninth goal of the season – Anfield chiefs ought to be doing everything in their power to ensure that Salah is still at the club in nine months’ time.
We understand that financial prudence needs to be taken into consideration, but every so often there comes along somebody who merits an exception to the norm. The man wearing number 11 for the Reds absolutely falls into that category.
