Paul Merson laughed off comparisons between Mohamed Salah and ‘one-offs’ Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi when asked whether Liverpool should hand him a new three-year contract. The Egyptian star has six months left on his contract at Anfield.
Salah intensified talk of a departure next summer when he spoke midweek about his contractual situation. He said he was probably more out than in because talks over an extension had not progressed.
Merson got into a heated debate with fellow Sky Sports panellist Kris Boyd about Salah’s future. He disagreed with his colleague’s view that the Reds should give the forward a three-year deal:
“Are you joking? A three-year deal? He’s 33 before the season ends so he’s gonna be 36.”
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola responds with gesture as Liverpool fans sing ‘sacked in the morning’ to him in PL clash
Cristiano Ronaldo and one other Al-Nassr superstar set to miss AFC Champions League clash against Al-Sadd: Reports
Ruben Amorim puts 27-year-old Manchester United superstar on sale ahead of January transfer window: Reports
Boyd highlighted Ronaldo as an example of a player still thriving in their late thirties. Merson hit back:
“Ronaldo? That’s like me going to you (the host) and your little boy. ‘Don’t worry if he doesn’t get any bigger because Messi was really good’ You can’t use Messi, you can’t use Ronaldo, they are one-offs! He’s (Salah) a team player. 100% (he’ll be done at top level in three years’ time)”
Expand Tweet
Salah has been a mainstay in Arne Slot’s team this season and excelled in Liverpool’s push for the title. He’s bagged 12 goals and 10 assists in 19 games across competitions.
The 32-year-old has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League next summer. He’d follow in the footsteps of Ronaldo, 39, who arrived in the Middle East in January 2023.
Salah has the option to join Ronaldo in the SPL or Messi in the MLS: Reports
Mohamed Salah could leave European football (Image – Getty)
Salah’s future is the hot topic of discussion heading into Liverpool’s top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City on Sunday (December 1). He’s been at Anfield since 2017 and wrote his name in the club’s history books. If he leaves the Reds, he could be leaving Europe altogether.
The Daily Mail reports that Saudi chiefs would be prepared to hand Salah a contract on par with Ronaldo’s. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner earns a reported £177 million at Al-Nassr.
Al-Ittihad are the club who are strongly linked with Salah after missing out on him in the summer of 2023. They failed with a £150 million bid for the Egypt captain, but the player remains a dream acquisition for the Saudi Pro League.
Expand Tweet
A move to Saudi Arabia isn’t the only option for Salah, as he could also switch to the MLS. Newly-formed Californian club San Diego are reportedly courting the former AS Roma star and want him to become a mantlepiece star, per GiveMeSport.
Messi, 37, made the move to the MLS in the summer of 2023, joining David Beckham’s co-owned Inter Miami. He’s been joined by familiar faces from his Barcelona days: Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
