Mohamed Salah would still like to continue at Liverpool despite no agreement being reached in recent contract talks, TBR Football can reveal.
With just nine games to go until the end of the season at Liverpool, Salah’s future is yet to be resolved.
Liverpool fans are currently coming to terms with the fact that Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving for Real Madrid, a bitter blow given his homegrown roots at Anfield.
Of course, Trent’s departure would be a lot more palatable were Salah and Virgil van Dijk to stay at the club, a duo who have already been so vital for Arne Slot.
During the international break Liverpool spoke to Salah and Van Dijk’s camps hoping to make progress, however, no agreement was reached.
FSG are reluctant to hand Mohamed Salah a big new contract
That being said, TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey understands that the Saudi Pro League remains very interested in Salah, interest that has never gone.
It’s understood that there is an open offer on the table from the Pro League that is comparable to Cristiano Ronaldo’s deal that would make him the highest paid player in the world.
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Salah knows that a contract is waiting for him and the Pro League want the Liverpool winger to be the leading Muslim player in Saudi Arabia.
The Pro League see Salah as part of their project, it is just a question of when he arrives, not if – but that’s no secret at this point.
However, TBR understands that Salah would like to continue at Anfield, but talks are at an impasse in terms of the basic length of the deal.
FSG analytics are understood to be the issue in handing a sizable deal to Salah who will turn 33 in the summer.
Arne Slot’s verdict on Mohamed Salah winning the Ballon d’Or at Liverpool
Of course, if Salah does leave Liverpool for Saudi Arabia this summer that would surely end any chance of the Egyptian winning the Ballon d’Or in his career.
Prior to Liverpool’s recent defeats in the Champions League and Carabao Cup final, many believed that it could be Salah’s year to win the award, including Slot to some extent.
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Speaking at the end of February, Slot said that any Ballon d’Or winner needs to win something ‘big’, which could perhaps be part of the club’s sales pitch to keep Salah around next season for another try, should the Premier League not be deemed enough.
Slot said: “I think in general someone who wins the Ballon d’Or needs to win something as well so it’s a great challenge that is in front of us and in front of him.
“What I liked a lot is that he takes this challenge – not only by scoring a big goal and a great assist against [Manchester] City but he also wanted the team to win, because his defensive work-rate, especially in the second half, was outstanding.
“I think that is what it takes for us to have a chance of winning something, and if we as a team can win something, he will have a far more better chance to win an individual prize like the Ballon d’Or.”
