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Liverpool expect Mohamed Salah to remain with the club this summer and are making plans for next season that include the star forward being a part of the squad, reports David Ornstein of The Athletic.
Salah, 31, is under contract at Anfield until 2025 and has given no indication that he wants to leave before his deal expires, adds Ornstein.
The prolific Egyptian has been courted by the Saudi Pro League (SPL) – Liverpool reportedly rejected a massive £150-million offer from Al-Ittihad in September – and there’s been renewed speculation that he could soon be on the move. His heated exchange with Jurgen Klopp over the weekend, when the two nearly came to blows on the touchline during the Reds’ 2-2 draw with West Ham United, only fueled rumors of a potential exit.
Liverpool are nonplussed about the incident, according to Ornstein, but even if the pair’s relationship was untenable, Klopp’s impending departure makes the issue all but moot. If Salah were to depart, that wouldn’t be a factor.
The SPL hierarchy believes he wants to remain at Liverpool for at least one more season and has cooled its interest since last summer’s aggressive pursuit, Ornstein notes. The prospect of signing Salah on a free transfer in 2025 is also enticing for Saudi Arabia’s top clubs.
Salah remains Liverpool’s primary scoring threat, accumulating 24 goals in all competitions this season.
His contract situation will be one of the most pressing matters for incoming sporting director Richard Hughes and manager Arne Slot; the latter is reportedly on the verge of being confirmed as Klopp’s successor.
The new decision-makers at Anfield will also be mindful of the futures of captain Virgil van Dijk and star right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose current contracts are each set to expire alongside Salah’s next year.
