Mohamed Salah 'will leave' Liverpool with host of teams on transfer alert
Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has dropped a bombshell about Mo Salah's future at Anfield, suggesting that the Egyptian superstar is on his way out, with clubs worldwide on alert to snap him up.
Salah, now 32, is in the last year of his contract with Liverpool and has recently mentioned that there have been no talks about a renewal. Speaking to Betfred, Johnson expressed his belief that Salah is set to depart, while fellow teammates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are more likely to commit their futures to the Reds.
"I believe Mo will leave and the other two will stay," he commented. "Each of them is going to have an endless list of clubs that will want to sign them if they're available as a free agent and if Liverpool knows that any of them aren't going to sign a new contract, then I believe they've been foolish to not cash in. You can't have players of their caliber walking out on a free."
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Last year, rumors swirled about Salah making a lucrative switch to the Saudi Pro League, but he chose to stay for what was Jurgen Klopp's last campaign in charge. However, Johnson is adamant that a move to the Middle East would be ill-advised for Salah, given his continued high-level performances.
"It depends because Mo still has an awful lot to give. He doesn't play as if he's 32 years old, so you assume as long as he feels right, that he can continue to play at this level for a couple more years, so you hope a move to Saudi Arabia isn't of interest to him right now. If he's available for free at the end of the season, then there'll be a list of exciting clubs all waiting to sign him."
However, Liverpool - set to begin its Champions League journey against Milan tonight - shouldn't feel too disheartened if Salah decides to leave. The new recruit Federico Chiesa is ready to step up and fill his shoes, while Johnson believes that Crystal Palace and England star Eberechi Eze would also be a suitable fit.
He further stated: "You don't want Mo to leave, but with Chiesa there already, and if Eberechi Eze was also to come in next summer, then they'd both be very good options if Mo departs."