FSG delivered nine-word message to Mohamed Salah as Liverpool prioritizes contract talks

Liverpool fans are hoping Mohamed Salah secures a new contract at Anfield as his current deal nears its end, but it may not be that straightforward, according to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Hasselbaink suggests that Fenway Sports Group could decide against offering Salah a new deal due to his age. The Egyptian international’s contract expires in June, by which time he will be 33 years old. Despite Salah’s impressive performance this season, with 18 goals and 13 assists, the former Chelsea forward believes Salah could leave the club.

In an appearance on The LineUp, in partnership with BetMGM and talkSPORT, Hasselbaink commented: “Mohamed Salah is doing the business week in, week out at the top, top level. There are not a lot of players like Salah who will be playing as well as he is in the last year of their contract.”

“He can obviously put all of the distractions to the side and perform like he has been – I think it really shows how mentally strong he is. If I’m the manager of Liverpool, I obviously want to keep all three of Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.” However, Hasselbaink acknowledged that the club’s owners might view the situation differently, adding, “I would let Salah go because of his age.”

He further explained: “You would have to pay him mega money and I just don’t think you can give a player of his age a three-year contract. Business-wise, it’s not sustainable and the best business for Liverpool is to see him go.”

Salah isn’t the only key player with a contract expiring this summer. Both club captain Virgil van Dijk and England’s Trent Alexander-Arnold have not yet agreed to new terms. Like Salah, Van Dijk, 33, is nearing the end of his career, but he has been vocal about his desire to extend his stay at Anfield. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Alexander-Arnold has been linked with a potential move to Real Madrid, and losing him on a free transfer would leave a significant gap in Liverpool’s lineup.

Hasselbaink shared his thoughts on these players, stating: “I think Van Dijk will stay as you can still get three good years out of him playing as a centre-back. As for Trent, it all depends on what he really wants and where he sees his career going. Do you only dream of being a Liverpool player or do you want to see how good you can be in a different country and culture?”