Mohamed Salah says he is disappointed Liverpool have not offered him a new contract and feels “probably more out than in” in terms of staying beyond the end of the season.
The uncertainty around Salah’s future is one of the few areas of concern amid a brilliant start under Arne Slot, whose side are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after 10 wins in his 12 league matches.
Salah’s bombshell words will heighten Liverpool supporters’ fears that the forward will move on when his deal expires in the summer. “Well, we are almost in December and I haven’t received any offers yet to stay in the club,” the 32-year-old said. “I’m probably more out than in.”
He added: “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.”
Asked if he was disappointed at the lack of offers from Liverpool, Salah replied: “Of course, yeah. 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.”
He said he had not spoken to the club about the lack of an offer. “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.”
Liverpool are understood to be relaxed about the situation, feeling they have held positive talks with Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, and recognise that any extension for their highest-paid player was never likely to be a swift resolution given he is paid a basic £350,000 a week.
Salah volunteered to talk to the media after he scored twice in victory at Southampton on Sunday. In September Salah said: “Nobody in the club talked to me yet about contracts so I was just like: ‘OK, I play my last season and see at the end of the season.’” The Egypt international is five weeks from being able to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club. He has previously been linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia. “I don’t want to speak about that,” he said. “I am focused on the team now.”
Liverpool’s captain, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also out of contract next summer. Slot said of Salah’s double at St Mary’s, which included the match-winning goal from the penalty spot: “We always know we can trust on him if things are difficult for us. Special players can score goals out of nowhere.”
