Mohamed Salah opens up about Liverpool contract and expresses ‘disappointment’ in rare interview

Mohamed Salah has revealed that he has yet to receive a formal contract offer from Liverpool, expressing his “disappointment” at the lack of progress on a new deal. The forward, who scored twice in Liverpool’s 3-2 victory over Southampton on Sunday, helping the team extend their Premier League lead to eight points, hinted that he may be “more out than in” due to the ongoing contract stalemate.

Salah’s current deal, signed in late June 2022, is nearing its final six months, allowing him to negotiate with clubs outside England for a free transfer when the winter window opens on January 1. While discussions between Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas, and the club are reportedly ongoing, the Egypt captain, who is the highest-paid player in Liverpool’s history with a salary between £350,000 and £400,000, finds the negotiations complicated due to the club’s tightly managed wage structure.

As reported by the ECHO in September, Salah is eager to remain at Anfield for the next phase of his career, having scored 12 goals this season. He has dismissed any thoughts of retiring or moving to a less competitive league than the Premier League. However, in a rare interview about his situation, Salah confirmed that no formal offer has been made by Liverpool, despite his agent potentially receiving offers from clubs worldwide within a month.

“Well, we are almost in December and I haven’t received any offers yet to stay in the club, [so] I’m probably more out than in,” Salah admitted. “You know I have been in the club for many years. There is no club like this. But in the end, it is not in my hands. As I said before, it is December and I haven’t received anything yet about my future.”

Salah continued, “I love the fans. The fans love me. In the end, it is not in my hands or the fans’ hands. Let’s wait and see. Of course [no offer is disappointing], yeah.”

Despite the uncertainty, Salah remains focused on his football, stating, “I’m not going to retire soon, so I’m just playing, focusing on the season and I’m trying to win the Premier League and hopefully the Champions League as well. I’m disappointed but we will see.”

Salah emphasized his professionalism, saying, “I’m very professional. Everybody can see my work ethic. I’m just trying to enjoy my football and I will play at the top level as long as possible. I’m just doing my best because this is who I am and I try to give it all for myself and for the club. We will see what happens next.”

Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, are generally hesitant to offer long-term deals to players in their 30s. Given that Salah will turn 33 before the start of next season, coupled with his status as the club’s highest earner, a swift agreement was never expected. However, both parties are reportedly keen to reach a resolution, with discussions between Abbas and the club described as positive and constructive.

In August 2023, Salah received an offer from Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, but FSG president Mike Gordon rejected a bid worth up to £150 million. When asked about the possibility of moving to Saudi Arabia if no agreement is reached at Liverpool, Salah responded, “I don’t want to speak about that. I am focused with the team now.”

Salah reflected on the victory over Southampton, saying, “It is an important win. I’m glad that we managed to win the game because we were 2-1 down. The best thing is to win the game because the next game is against Manchester City. Hopefully, we keep winning.”

He added, “I’m just playing my game, trying to chill and relax and just play. The whole team has the chemistry now with the new manager (Arne Slot). Hopefully, we keep winning and win something in the end.”

After the win, Salah also spoke to Sky Sports, saying, “It’s great, hopefully we can keep going in the right direction. We have a game against them (Manchester City) coming up, hopefully we win so we can go more ahead like 11 points.”

Looking ahead to the Manchester City match, Salah noted, “Man City have had a bad time but they’re going to strike back, they have a great coach, great players. Hopefully, we can beat them to go further (ahead).”

Liverpool will face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, aiming to strengthen their position at the top of the group, before hosting Manchester City on Sunday.