After Mohamed Salah recently revealed he was leaving Liverpool, Steven Gerrard has spoken out about his conversations with the Egyptian forward.
Steven Gerrard reveals phone call with Mohamed Salah (Image: YouTube/The Overlap)
Steven Gerrard has revealed he had a text exchange with Mohamed Salah shortly after the Liverpool forward lashed out at Arne Slott. The Egyptian recently revealed his decision to leave Anfield at the end of the season.
Spending nine years on the red side of Merseyside, Salah established himself as one of the greatest players in the club’s long history. But just before departing for the African Cup of Nations, he publicly criticized Slott for being left on the bench after Liverpool drew 3-3 with Leeds United at Elland Road.
Salah was subsequently left out of Liverpool’s Champions League win away to Inter Milan, but rejoined the squad upon their return from AFCON. Gerrard reflected on the rift between Salah and Slott and revealed that he had a frank exchange with Salah over the phone.
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Speaking on the overlap, Gerrard said: “I spoke to him then, before and after that interview. I said, ‘Don’t do what you’ve been doing and go under the cloud.’ So, I spoke to him directly.”
“He texts me sometimes and when I go somewhere with Leo (Gerrard’s son) he texts me so I can meet him.
“But it gave me an opportunity to say to him, ‘You’ve been here eight or nine years. You’re the king here and you have this heritage. Go on the right path, on your terms.’
Gerrard reaches out to Salah after the Egyptian player fell out with Slott (Image: 2025 Getty Images)
When asked how Salah took Gerrard’s words, the former England captain said: “At the time, he was still a bit emotional because of the incident. He was a sub and was in and out of the team at the time and was upset. I thought it would be a waste for him to leave in January, but he just left.”
Gerrard elaborated further on the rift between Slott and Salah, adding: “Now that I’m a manager myself, I understand both sides. Something similar happened to Brendan[Rodgers].”
“But looking back now, I’m away from the game and I’m on the other side of it and I don’t get too emotional, but I understand it from Brendan’s perspective. I probably wouldn’t have been the same player at 34. There’s no rule that says you have to play every minute because you’re captain, but it wasn’t easy at the time.”
“When you’re in the team and you’re trying to play for United, you look at the team and think, ‘I’m as good as those players, or better than them’. It’s difficult given the situation of the players.”
Salah will leave Liverpool at the end of the season despite having one year left on his contract. Nevertheless, the club allowed him to leave Anfield without paying a transfer fee, effectively giving him the right to free agency.
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