FSG must face powerless Mohamed Salah truth as Liverpool know what comes next

Liverpool could be powerless to stop Mohamed Salah leaving their club should he take up an option which is open to all professional footballers. Players in the Premier League are free to negotiate with clubs overseas once their contract enters its final six months.

These negotiations can result in the player signing a pre-contract agreement with a chosen club that means they move to their preferred destination upon the expiry of their current deal. The parent club is powerless to stop this and are not in a position to receive compensation.

This option is firmly on the table for Salah in January with his current contract set to expire at the end of this season. In a shock interview after scoring a brace in a 3-2 victory over Southampton, the Egyptian told reporters: "Well, we are almost in December and I haven't received any offers yet to stay in the club, [so] I'm probably more out than in.

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"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. 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.

"Of course [no offer is disappointing], yeah. 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. I'm very professional.

"Everybody can see my work ethic. I'm just trying to enjoy my football and I will play at the top level as long as possible.

"I'm just doing my best because this is who I am and I try to give it all for myself and for the club. We will see what happens next."

To avoid the nightmare situation coming next in January, Liverpool would need to tie Salah down to a contract before January to avoid other clubs coming to negotiate with him. Since arriving on Merseyside, the 32-year-old has won the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup with the Reds.

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