Mohamed Salah is “selfish” for publicly expressing his disappointment at Liverpool’s failure to offer him a new contract, says former Reds defender Jamie Carragher.
Salah, whose current deal expires at the end of the season, told reporters after Sunday’s win at Southampton that he is “probably more out than in” and has yet to be offered fresh terms.
The 32-year-old is Liverpool’s top scorer this season with 12 goals in all competitions and scored twice against the Saints to move the club eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.
“I must say I am very disappointed with Mo Salah,” Carragher told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. “Liverpool have Real Madrid midweek [in the Champions League] and Man City at the weekend. That’s the story right now.”
He added: “If he keeps putting comments out, his agent puts out cryptic messages, that is selfish. That is thinking about themselves and not the football club.”
Liverpool have not publicly commented on Salah’s remarks, but a club source told BBC Sport that contact between Liverpool and Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, is ongoing and has been positive.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, Chris Sutton said Salah’s decision to approach reporters in the mixed zone to talk about his future suggests he wants to stay at Anfield.
“It wasn’t one of those where Mo Salah was asked to talk, he actually made an approach and wanted to speak to a couple of press guys to get things off his chest,” said the former Blackburn and Chelsea striker. “So in that respect it says to me that he wants to stay.”
The Athletic’s Rory Smith added: “It strikes me that he is making it very clear to the Liverpool fans that he wants to stay and that if he doesn’t end up staying that it’s not really a lack of intent on his part.
“The problem will be his age. Liverpool will be looking at the vast data set you have of footballers over the last 20, 30 years, which suggests that at some point in your mid-30s your performances do dip. They will wonder whether is it worth committing £300,000 a week or so to a player who might only have another year at this level.
“Or maybe he will have another two years at this level? Or another five or six? That’s the gamble Liverpool have to take.”
As well as Salah, defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and club captain Virgil van Dijk are also out of contract at the end of the season.
“The most important thing for Liverpool Football Club this season isn’t the future of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold,” added Carragher. “The most important thing is Liverpool winning the Premier League.
“I hope they don’t feel like this club would fall apart if they left. Steven Gerrard left the club and the next manager won the Premier League. Graeme Souness left and Liverpool won the Double.
“Salah, would we miss him? Of course we would. But Liverpool will move on.”
