Mohamed Salah has reportedly rejected Liverpool’s latest contract offer and now, the club is being urged to avoid making a terrible mistake by letting him go.
Since the 2024/25 season started, Liverpool have been plagued by the same narrative.
The team is flying at the top of the Premier League and the Champions League, and should they overturn a one-goal deficit against Spurs, they could progress to the final of the Carabao Cup.
Yet, there is fear hanging over the fanbase concerning the contracts of Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. It’s a poor reflection on the club hierarchy that this situation was even allowed to materialise.
Now, with just five months remaining on their respective contracts, this fear is deepening and poses a risk to Liverpool’s chance of success.
Arne Slot has managed the situation very well despite the circumstances, and Ian Wright has now spoken on the situation for the Premier League.
Ian Wright urges Liverpool to look to Lionel Messi as an example
While speaking on Premier League Productions this week, Ian Wright was asked if Mohamed Salah is becoming like Lionel Messi, who in the twilight years of his career has evolved to capitalise on moments instead of running the entire game.
Now, Salah has never been like Messi in that he doesn’t come centrally or as deep to receive the ball but he certainly does save his energy for the right moments when he can damage his opponent.
Ian Wright commented: “If Liverpool are deliberating over the fact like: ‘Yes he’s having moments at this stage of his career, he’s at that age, should we take a chance?’ I’m going to take a chance.
“Because what’s going to happen is that Liverpool are in a progressive mode, they’re in the ascendancy, they’re going to bring in players, so even if he’s there but older, he will still have moments, it’s the kind of money I would spend.”
Liverpool would be making a grave mistake letting Mohamed Salah go
I’ll preface this by saying that contract talks are complicated and particularly so when a player of Salah’s calibre is at the table.
But that’s the point, isn’t it? This is the best player in the world. Letting him go now would be the height of folly.
Salah is one of the fittest players in the Premier League and by far the most valuable player to the way Liverpool play.
23 goals and 17 assists in January is simply outstanding and there is not a player on the market that could immediately replicate what he is doing right now.