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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Callum Vurley

Mohamed Salah contract forces Liverpool to consider double transfer this summer

Mohamed Salah has signed a new contract with Liverpool but that does not mean that the transfer rumours will go away this summer.

However, they will likely orientate around two other players in Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita, who are both out of contract in 2023. If the Reds do not sell the duo, they could end up losing them for nothing when their deals are up.

Jurgen Klopp has already lost a key player in Sadio Mane and a further double departure would be quite the hit to his squad, particularly Firmino. The Brazilian's exit would see two-thirds of Liverpool's tremendous trio broken up, though the signings of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez might be seen as replacements.

Keita, on the other hand, has had a difficult stint at Anfield and there might be fewer tears shed over the midfielder's departure compared to Firmino. During his four years at the club, the 27-year-old has played just 76 times in the Premier League.

Injuries and other players in form have prevented Keita from a successful run in the first-team and there are reports that the Guinea international does not want to sign a new contract. That would mean that a transfer away might be a possibility this summer.

However, Liverpool insist their business is done this year after getting their deals in early, including the signings of Nunez, Calvin Ramsay and Fabio Carvalho. Adrien Rabiot has been tipped as a potential replacement should Keita depart.

But with the Reds looking to topple Manchester City's dominance of the Premier League, the last thing Klopp will want to do is see his squad depth weakened. Especially with the prospective arrivals of Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips and Marc Cucurella at the Etihad.

It is not all doom and gloom, though, with the news that Salah has signed a new deal. Losing Mane was a blow, Firmino's exit will be a disaster but all three would be catastrophic for Liverpool's trophy hopes.

The wide player said: "I feel great and I am excited to win trophies with the club. It's a happy day for everyone. We are in a good position to fight for everything.

Roberto Firmino is out of contract next summer (REUTERS)

"It takes a little bit of time, I think, to renew, but now everything is done so we just need to focus on what's next.

"I think you can see in the last five or six years the team was always going [upwards]. Last season we were close to winning four, but unfortunately in the last week of the season we lost two trophies.

"We have new signings as well. We just need to keep working hard, have a good vision, be positive and go for everything again."

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