Liverpool’s resounding 3-0 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford should have had anyone associated with the club on cloud nine, but it was a bittersweet moment when Mohamed Salah caught up with the Sky Sports team pitchside after the game.
The tireless Egyptian put on a near-perfect performance against his rivals, setting up both of Luis Diaz’s goals before netting one for himself. It adds to his incredible start to Liverpool life under new boss Arne Slot, taking him to three goals and three assists in just three Premier League games.
But there’s an issue: his contract expires at the end of this season, and there’s no new deal in place, leading to Salah pondering after the full-time whistle that he may have made his last venture to the Theatre of Dreams. Pundit and former Blackburn Rovers and Celtic striker Chris Sutton has revealed his confusion that the situation has been allowed to get to this point.
Speaking to casinoapps.com, Sutton said: “If the comments that Mo Salah made about not being offered a new Liverpool contract are true, I would find that pretty amazing.
“Given what he has done at the club, I would find it hard to believe that Liverpool haven’t offered him a new deal or at least had a conversation about it.”
But discussing the current circumstances with Sky Sports following the United game, Salah confirmed exactly that.
“Nobody talked to me yet about contracts,” the free-scoring wideman said. “So I’m just like, okay, I’ll play my last season and we’ll see at the end of the season.”
Sutton doesn’t see the situation being left in limbo for too long. He said: “Salah has come back, he looks super hungry, super fit, and he offers Liverpool great quality. It will be interesting how this one with him pans out.
“Players and clubs can change their mind. I would be staggered if he carries on this level of form and there isn’t some sort of offer from Liverpool. I’m sure there will be.”
He’s not the only high-profile player with contract drama lurking just around the corner, with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold also entering the final months of their deals.
“Perhaps because Salah and Van Dijk are the wrong side of 30, Liverpool want to be cautious about offering them long terms,” the former striker said, “because they are not the kind of club that hand out long contracts.”
Losing Salah, potentially to the likes of the Saudi Pro League for one final big contract, would be difficult enough to replace. Adding the loss of two key components of the Reds’ well-established backline into the mix chucks Slot into full-scale rebuild territory at the end of his first season.
Three wins and three clean sheets mean the Slot era is off to a perfect start, but if a trio of heavyweight contract sagas are allowed to erupt at Anfield further down the line, it’ll be the Dutchman’s man-management skills, rather than his tactical prowess, that will feel the intense spotlight of the Premier League stage.
For Sutton, he just wants to see a fellow goalscorer at the top level for as long as possible.
“I think everyone feels the same way,” he said. “We don’t want to see Mo Salah going to Saudi. Not yet anyway. Not when he’s got so much to offer.”
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