Salah Is Wise Enough To Make Contract Decision—Slot

Liverpool coach Arne Slot has revealed that Mohammed Salah is wise enough to make the best decision regarding his contract extension.

The Egyptian star has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with his Liverpool contract expiring at the end of the season.

He has scored 23 goals this season to help the Reds to the top of the Premier League and the second round of the Champions League.

Slot expressed his desire to keep the former Roma forward while urging him to make the best decision for himself.

He said, “Everybody wants him, including us. We want him to extend, of course, as well—that is clear.

“I’m not surprised that Saudi want him but I wouldn’t be surprised if other countries want him as well.

“He’s old enough and wise enough and has done so many smart things in his career that he will make the right decision for himself and, hopefully, for us as well.”

The trio of Virgil Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Mohammed Salah are all out of contract at the end of the season.

Slot confirmed that he has spoken with the players about their contract situations.

He said, “Of course, I speak to these players. I speak to them, not every day like [sporting director] Richard [Hughes], but quite a lot and it would be ridiculous if in all these times I speak to them we’ve never spoken about the future. Of course, we do.

“As you probably also know, that’s not something I’m going to discuss with you.

“It’s not only with the three that are out of contract; you also talk about future things with the other players as well.

“It’s a non-stop process talking to your players but it’s also a non-stop process that I will not talk about that in public with you.”

Salah has once again shown his importance to Liverpool, leading their Premier League title race and also spearheading a Champions League campaign that saw them finish top of the group.

He has scored 23 goals and recorded 17 assists for the Reds in all competitions this season.

Liverpool will welcome in-form Bournemouth to Anfield on Saturday, with the visitors on a nine-match unbeaten run to boost their European hopes.

Slot is expecting a tough clash from Andoni Iraiola’s side.

He said, “It’s a big one and this is probably going to sound strange. I knew this already when we played the second half against them in our home game. We were 3-0 up at halftime, and I was expecting a second half where we could just control the game, have the ball a bit and maybe score the fourth one—but they just kept on going at us for 45 minutes and that showed me the character of the team.

“Since then, they have been outstanding. They were before that game also. Because we were 3-0 up at halftime, we didn’t really match the first half; in my opinion, maybe we deserved to be up but not with three goals.

“And afterwards they have beaten so many strong teams and there is a simple reason for that: a lot of quality. Created by Richard (Hughes), of course, our current sporting director who worked there for a few years. And he hired a fantastic manager as well. Why is he a fantastic manager? He has a great game plan and his players work incredibly hard. And then, in a different way than Arsenal, they are also a threat on set pieces.”

A win for Liverpool will take their tally to 56 points as they continue their quest to win the Premier League title.

Slot’s men have won 16 matches, drawn five, and lost once in 22 matches in the Premier League this season.

Salah Is Wise Enough To Make Contract Decision—Slot is first published on The Whistler Newspaper