Roy Keane has revealed Mohamed Salah Liverpool truth Jamie Carragher wants to ignore

Premier League footballers earn amounts of money that most of us in the 'real world' can only dream about. However, the trade-off for this privilege is a career that lasts a much shorter time than any other.

On average, an elite footballer probably has about ten years earning extortionate sums of money. With the introduction of the Saudi Pro League, that has been increased to closer to 20 years but that route is not for everyone.

If you don't go into punditry or the stress of management, footballers know that there is a ticking time bomb dangling over their heads. Can they, therefore, be blamed for 'chasing the money'?

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Many want to earn as much as they can now to secure their families for the future and that surely is not a bad thing. Unsurprising, then, that Mohamed Salah has been working desperately in the media to try and engineer a new contract offer at Liverpool.

The Egypt superstar rarely chooses to do media obligations, but has featured there over recent weeks taking every chance afforded to him to discuss his desire to extend his contract. For Liverpool, it is a case of making the finances work, but they have a deadline to keep, too.

Come June 30, and should nothing change, Salah will be walking out of Liverpool for the final time. This is the last scenario that he wants but, if the money is better elsewhere, then perhaps the two parties have to part.

However, the current problem in the eyes of Jamie Carragher is Salah's method of securing the new contract. "My problem with Salah is coming out and speaking..." Carragher opened up on the latest Stick To Football podcast.

"There should be an exception for [Mohamed] Salah and Virgil van Dijk in that they are special players, and they never miss games. They are never injured."

However, fellow panellist Roy Keane, pretty much always an advocate of player power (hence his now frosty relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson) disagreed. "It's not about being right or wrong," the ex-Manchester United captain responded.

"If a player wants to put something out there, he's an experienced player. Players need to be selfish.

"He's got to look after himself and he's got to negotiate the best way he can. If that is sending little messages out there, I wouldn't lose any sleep about it.

"I've been there and done it - and if the club want to get him signed up then they have to give him whatever they are after. He's such a good player and he'll have plenty of options.

"There's always these fun and games with these contract situations - particularly when they are coming to an end. The key for me and what I would give Salah credit for - with all this distraction - is he's playing well and producing.

"Players have to realise it's a business decision - we all love sport, we all love playing, but when a club is offering you that [a certain amount], you go; 'Well, is it about the money'? Sometimes it is about the money.

"If some clubs want to pay you more and you have a bit of self-worth, then you go; 'They think I'm worth this and sometimes you have to go with that'."

There's no doubting that Salah is fully aware of his self-worth at Liverpool and yet he still has a loyalty to the club. The forward is making it clear to supporters that, should he not renew, it is by no means for a want of trying - so if that means a few pointed comments towards FSG then so be it.

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