Roberto Firmino has already told Mohamed Salah how Liverpool contract standoff could end

Former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino previously recalled a breakdown in communication with Reds club chiefs as contract talks proved unsuccessful - as Mohamed Salah may be left hoping that talks over a new deal do not end on a similar note.

The Egyptian superstar's future at Anfield remains uncertain, with the 32-year-old having entered the final year of his current agreement. As things stand, no resolution to the impasse has been found, with Salah currently on course to depart Merseyside for nothing at the end of this season.

The winger, who has started the season in sparkling form with 13 goals in 20 games so far, has admitted recently that he is "more out than in" in terms of whether he will extend his stay. Even more ominous for supporters will be the tale of the exit of the forward's former strike partner Firmino - who left the club in 2023.

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After eight glorious campaigns at Anfield, which saw him win every major honor on offer, the Brazilian departed for free before joining Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ahli. However, the Kop hero later revealed that his exit came about against his wishes as negotiations over a new contract broke down, meaning he eventually decided to leave as a free agent.

Firmino looked back over how his departure came about in his autobiography entitled "Si Senor’", saying: "In August 2022, while still on pre-season, Liverpool told my representatives that they wanted me to stay as well. A contract renewal wasn’t something I lost sleep over back then; it seemed like a formality, a matter of time…

"My representatives were talking with the club about the contract renewal and disagreements were starting to arise," he continued, as he revealed that both parties were at odds when they eventually did engage in contract discussions. "The club saw things one way, we saw them another…

"We returned from Dubai, and then it was time to definitely sort out my contract, which had always been my desire. I made my intentions clear to my agents. I wanted to stay. I didn’t want to hear about offers from other European clubs or other parts of the world. My life was in Liverpool…"

Firmino's perception of the situation was that there was a reluctance from Reds chiefs to strike a deal with him due to his age. He continued: "A difference in opinion about my role was emerging. In the view of my representatives, I was a top-tier player in world football and should be given a renewal that reflected that. From the club’s business perspective, Roberto Firmino’s peak had passed.

“My salary was quite high, significant investments had been made in new players and some contract extensions… In the club’s view, the future was secured with Gakpo, Darwin, Luis and Diogo Jota. And, of course, Salah had renewed his contract.

Despite willingness from then-manager Jurgen Klopp for a deal to be struck, Firmino feels there was a reticence among Liverpool's decision-makers to keep him. He continued: "I still thought there was a place for me in this attack… Klopp had told the management he wanted me to stay, but the club’s view was that I would no longer be a protagonist…

"I accepted a shorter contract - one year instead of two. I told the club I would accept a significant salary reduction. That wasn’t an issue. Money didn’t matter.

“But communication was muddled and responses were slow. One week… three weeks… a month. We kept compromising, but it didn’t seem like there was a real willingness on the other side to finalise negotiations.

Eventually, Firmino made the tough decision to part ways with the Reds at the end of the campaign as his contract stand-off continued into the new year. He added: "Things dragged on through January and February. By that point, my agents told me that they were only continuing negotiations with the club out of respect for my desire to stay and the love we had for Liverpool.

"On the field, I wasn’t the figure I had been, my grip on a place ever more precarious… I was ready. I was back, but I wasn’t playing. The boss was avoiding me now. I wanted to demand an explanation for what was happening, but I couldn’t get his attention…

"A concern that didn’t exist before, a possibility I had never truly imagined, was becoming real. Maybe they really didn’t want me. Maybe it really was over."