Kop hero Mohamed Salah will carry the weight of expectation when Liverpool face Chelsea in Sunday's Carabao Cup final, but one former player says that his Anfield legend-status is currently in doubt.
The African star has already plundered 27 goals in all competitions for The Reds this season and is leading a four-front assault on silverware that begins with the Wembley clash against Chelsea this weekend.
But with Salah yet to agree a new contract that would commit his future to the club, former Anfield favourite John Barnes believes the winger can only truly cement his place in Liverpool's highest order by agreeing a long term deal to stay on Merseyside.
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Speaking exclusively to BonusCodeBets, Barnes said: “If Mohamed Salah stays at Liverpool for the next three or four years, then he will be one of the best Liverpool players ever.
“Equally, if he leaves after five years as Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres [did], then where would he rank?
“To be an all-time great, you must stay at a club for several years, and if Salah stays for a few more, then he would be up there with one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players.
“What’s most important though, is what Mo does whilst he’s at the club. Right now, you can’t look further than the end of the season, before seeing if the contractual situation can be sorted. They can be very complicated.”
Salah, 29, has made it clear that he is happy at Liverpool and is keen to sign a new contract committing his future to the club.
But now regarded as one of the very best players in Europe - with the statistics to back up the claim - the Egyptian will be seeking the best contract of his career, well aware that a host of elite clubs across the continent will be vying for his signature should he fail to agree a new deal at Anfield.
Former Kop favourite Fernando Torres was worshipped by Liverpool supporters but left the club in 2011, after three-and-a-half years, to join Chelsea in a £50million deal.
Uruguayan Luis Suarez enjoyed similar god-like status at Anfield but having first attempted to force through a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal, eventually joined La Liga giants Barcelona in 2014 for £75million, also ending a three-and-a-half year stint at Anfield.
