Liverpool have been urged to "do everything they can" to ensure Mohamed Salah signs a new contract, by ex-Reds striker Stan Collymore. And the former club-record signing believes paying Salah increased wages for the next couple of years is a more sensible investment than trying to replace him with a successor who won't replicate his output.

Collymore, who scored 35 goals in 81 appearances after an £8.5m move from Nottingham Forest in 1995, reckons his former club won't be able to source a replacement for Salah, whose 25 goals and 17 assists across all competitions, has Arne Slot's side well placed heading into February's fixture list.

Salah's 21 Premier League goals have been instrumental towards Slot's men holding a six-point advantage at the summit, while the club will also have a last-16 Champions League tie to come in March.

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And Collymore has told Liverpool it makes much more sense for them to reach an agreement with Salah and his representatives for the next couple of years rather than having to find an expensive addition who is unlikely to be able to match the contributions of a forward who has been the top scorer every year since he joined in 2017.

“Liverpool must do everything they can to keep Mohamed Salah," Collymore told William Hill Vegas. "Players who can score 25 to 30 Premier League goals a season don’t grow on trees.

"The club only needs to pay his wages for another two or three seasons, which is a far more sensible investment than trying to find a replacement who can deliver the same numbers - because, right now, that player simply doesn’t exist.

“Look at why Manchester City are paying Erling Haaland so much - because elite-level goalscorers are rare. You can talk about talents like Jean-Philippe Mateta or Ollie Watkins, but can they consistently deliver 25 or more goals a season?

"The likes of Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski are now past their peak, so there aren’t options that match what Salah brings currently. Salah will want to stay if he's earning wages comparable to Kevin De Bruyne or Erling Haaland at City.

"If you were Salah, you’d look at your contributions to Liverpool and think, ‘I’ve done as much for my club as they have for theirs.’ You can see why he’s asking the question.”

Collymore added: “If Liverpool win the Champions League, then Mohamed Salah will win the Ballon d’Or.

“For years, the award was dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but now the criteria are shifting - it's about whether a player is performing at their absolute peak and directly influencing their team's success. Salah fits that perfectly.”