Liverpool’s former striker, John Aldridge, has urged the Reds to ramp up their mission to tie Mohamed Salah down to a new deal at Anfield. Meanwhile, rivals Man Utd have allowed Paul Pogba to run his contract down to the final year, which has put them in a precarious situation this summer.
Currently, Salah has two years remaining on his current Liverpool deal.
Although a renewal would likely see the Reds up the Egyptian’s salary, it would eradicate the possibility of him leaving for a cut-price fee next summer, or worse, leaving for free in 2023.
Aldridge believes his former side should learn from United’s Pogba situation, telling Sunday World: “If I’m Pogba, I don’t sign a contract.
“Of course you don’t. They’ve left it too late. You see it out and walk away for nothing.
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Since signing from Roma in 2017, Salah has averaged just shy of 24 Premier League goals per season for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
In other words, he has been a goal-scoring sensation, and improving his reported £200,000-a-week salary may be the necessary price to avoid a Pogba-esque situation.
United supposedly offered the Frenchman improved wages of £350,000-a-week, which he promptly rejected as he seeks a move to PSG.
Unfortunately for the Red Devils, this leaves them with the prospect of moving him on this summer in hurried circumstances, or losing him for free in 2022.
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Paul Pogba has been linked with a move to PSG (Image: GETTY)
When it comes to Salah, by the time his current contract expires he will be 31-years-old, the kind of age which could encourage Liverpool to seek a longer-term option.
However, with Salah set to miss part of the season to compete in the African Cup of Nations, Klopp will soon find out how important the winger’s goals are to his side’s success.
Talks between player and club are expected over the coming weeks, and although they would need no motivation to tie Salah to a new deal, the prospect of avoiding a 2022 summer window scramble could serve to hurry them along.