Danny Murphy is the latest ex-player to have their say on the future of Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah. His future is still uncertain, with the Egyptian’s contract expiring at the end of the 2024/25 season, whilst there are currently no signs of the player receiving an extension, even though some reports have contradicted that notion.
Despite Liverpool’s tremendous campaign thus far, which has seen them reach the EFL Cup final, sit atop the Premier League standings, and reach the UEFA Champions League round of 16, there are still some minor worries, one of them being the future of Salah.
Salah has already managed over 30 goals and assists so far in the Premier League, even though a third of the campaign remains. The 32-year-old is showing no signs of losing his quality. In fact, he is showing that he is still a world-class player. With no contract extension currently on the table at Liverpool, clubs across Europe and Saudi Arabia have been linked with signing the Egyptian.
Fans will want to keep the attacker, and there is no doubt that losing him would see the hierarchy receive a lot of criticism. So, can Liverpool afford to lose Salah in the summer this season?
Liverpool cannot afford to bow down to all demands
The big issue for Liverpool is the fact that Salah is not the only key player who could leave as a free agent in the summer. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil Van Dijk both have contracts which also expire at the end of this season. If Salah wants a lot of money, then Liverpool will also have to break the budget for Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk as well, which puts them in a tricky situation.
Many in the media, including pundit and former Liverpool player Danny Murphy, have discussed Salah’s future. Murphy believes that the Reds need to be careful and not break the bank to keep Salah at the club as he said, “The recruitment team at any big club should always be looking forward to who might be next, to fill those shoes. The only reason I would say not to sign him is if his demands are so ridiculous and so high that it’s unrealistic and goes against the club’s philosophy and then causes problems with other players’ negotiations.”
Liverpool need to make sure that the deal for Salah, should they give him one, isn’t one that will completely change their wage structure, no matter how good of a player he is.
Salah leaving for free would not be a good look
The big issue for Liverpool is if Salah does depart in the summer, they would make no money as he would leave as a free agent. To replace the Egyptian, you would need to bring in a couple of new signings.
With Salah scoring goals at a mind-boggling rate and also creating chances at will, you would probably need to sign a proven goalscorer and a top-class creative player, as there aren’t many players out there who can do both like the Egyptian. Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo could be an exciting option for Liverpool. The player has managed 14 goals in 24 Premier League games this season and is only 25, with many believing he has top potential.
If Liverpool also want to add a creator to their ranks, an attacker like young talent like Dutch international Xavi Simons could be the answer. The 21-year-old is seen as an exciting prospect, who is a strong player on the ball. The youngster chipped in with ten goals and 15 assists for RB Leipzig last season, whilst also having six goals to his name in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, which has been an injury-hit term for the Dutch midfielder.
Liverpool have a world-class squad with tremendous depth in the offensive unit. Luiz Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, and Federico Chiesa are all battling for starting spots. However, further depth would be needed if a player of Salah’s quality was to depart this summer.
Despite this depth, Liverpool would still need to go into the market to sign a top right-winger. You have to replace Salah with someone who is either at the top of their game or has top potential. So, Liverpool will need money to spend. Losing Salah for free makes a possible future transfer replacement considerably more difficult.
Salah will leave a Liverpool legend, no matter what happens
Salah has scored over 200 goals for Liverpool, provided over 100 assists and has won almost every major trophy whilst at the club. He has been a pivotal reason for their recent successes and if he does end up leaving, he will still go down as a Liverpool legend.
The next few months for the club are huge as they try to win the Premier League and also continue to fight in other competitions. Salah’s future is constantly being spoken about, which is not helpful for Arne Slot or the club. No matter the outcome, the Reds need to make their mind up sooner rather than later to fully focus on their season on the pitch.
Liverpool could probably afford to lose Salah this summer despite the negative criticism they would receive. However, they will no doubt be trying to do everything possible to keep him whilst also making sure it is still financially viable.
