Big controversy: Mohamed Salah makes public his dissatisfaction with Arne Slott after being left on the bench for three games in a row, makes a decision and leaves Liverpool
Mohamed Salah poured gasoline on the fire as he stopped his car in front of reporters on Elland Road to unload it on Saturday.
Salah took no prisoners after being retired to the bench in the 3-3 draw against Leeds. The Liverpool star says he currently has “nothing to do” with Arne Slott and feels he has been thrown under the bus and made the scapegoat for the team’s poor performance.
The player feels he does not need to earn a place in the starting XI given his contribution to the club and spoke with his agent about his future on Sunday as the January transfer window quickly approaches. He trained with his teammates on Monday ahead of the Champions League match against Inter Milan, but his future is currently uncertain.
Liverpool are said to be “positive” about selling the 33-year-old, who is under contract until June 2027 after signing a new contract worth £350,000-a-week earlier this year. Saudi Arabian clubs remain interested in signing the Egyptian star who will soon be heading to the African Cup of Nations, but is a transfer the best solution? Or could Slot bring the forward back to the team?
Here, Mirror Football writers give their views on what Slott and the Liverpool bosses should do next after the dust settles on Salah’s bombshell interview.
read more: Transfer News LIVE: Mo Salah to Saudi Arabia, Manchester United’s £115m signing, Arsenal and Liverpool latest updatesread more: The real reason Arne Slott removed Mohamed Salah as Liverpool’s crisis deepens
Jeremy Cross
Salah has now crossed a line of no return. He challenged the authority of Arne Slott and Liverpool. And there’s a reason he did it. Because he wants to be forced out of Anfield.
Liverpool’s American owners, Fenway Sports Group, have little choice but to sack Slott or sell Salah to the highest bidder. There is no player bigger than the club. When players like Salah are causing a toxic environment, they must be dealt with as soon as possible.
Manchester United did the same with Cristiano Ronaldo in 2022. There is no doubt that it would be a sad end to Salah’s time at Anfield and tarnish his legacy. But this is the fickle world of top-level soccer.
Because it’s always about the future, not the present or the past.
daniel ohm
There is no doubt that Salah burned some bridges at Anfield. You can’t say what type of player he is and expect him to come back to the team.
Of course, Salah was just expressing his feelings, but going against his manager and employer like that is unacceptable. He should be left out of the squad completely ahead of the African Cup of Nations, and even then he should not be welcomed back with open arms until he apologizes.
Should he be sold? No, I don’t think so. He remains one of the best players in the Premier League and Liverpool need him given their woes this season.
And I don’t think it will come close to the amount Al Ittihad offered a few seasons ago. Keeping Salah for the rest of the season and seeing where the land is in the summer could be a better solution for everyone involved.
neil mcleman
Salah has to go and he has to go now. His ego is now bigger than his value to the team. The Egyptian superstar showed his selfishness last season by making comments that put pressure on the Anfield club to give him a new contract in order to win the title.
Earlier this season, his results plummeted as he remained silent during play and all of Liverpool’s players left captain Virgil van Dijk to explain away the devastating loss of form. That includes Salah’s poor play. He seems to have lost a bit of pace and lost all desire to work hard for the team, but now he has also lost the respect of his teammates and fans.
Liverpool made a huge mistake in this year’s transfer window, but handing Salah a new two-year deal in April seemed right at the moment. His timing was all wrong as he made a public appearance at Elland Road just days before departing for the African Cup of Nations.
The 33-year-old is ready for a Ronaldo-style semi-retirement in Saudi Arabia.
Dan Marsh
There is no way back to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. No one is saying he doesn’t feel uncomfortable or has the right to express his feelings, but his comments went too far and effectively put Arne Slot under siege.
Realistically, how can the Dutchman go about his business as usual and include Salah in the squad for Tuesday’s game against Inter and this weekend’s game against Brighton? It’s a nightmare scenario for everyone, but given that Liverpool are hardly firing on all cylinders at the moment, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
Salah hasn’t reached the heights he did last season, but given Liverpool’s changes to the squad, I think it’s probably unfair and premature to exclude him. There is always likely to be teething problems and there is no doubt that Salah remains a class act. But after these comments there is absolutely no way back to him.
It’s a real shame to see the Salah-Liverpool saga end, but the Reds should benefit if there is interest from the Saudis.
Felix Keith
It took courage to say Liverpool should have moved on from Salah last season, when the club were pondering the futures of Egyptians Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. He was coming off the end of a ridiculously productive season, and the reaction to his two-year contract extension speaks for itself. Fans were overjoyed.
It’s been just 241 days since Salah signed and Liverpool should jump at the chance he presents them with. Salah’s words are provocative and the club should give Salah what he wants by accepting the highest bid from Saudi Arabia.
His rights are incredible, and no matter how legendary a player is, he is not allowed to wield that much power. Cash out. Cut your losses. If I were in charge, I’d appreciate you having a good time, Mo, but you opened the door to a bitter exit, and we’re pushing you there.
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