MANCHESTER: After helping Liverpool administer an emphatic 3-0 victory over Manchester United, Mohamed Salah revealed that this would be his last season at Anfield.
The Egyptian, who is the highest scoring visiting player to Old Trafford in Premier League history with seven goals, netted and provided two assists for Luis Diaz as Liverpool continued life under new boss Arne Slot in perfect fashion this season.
United were no match for their arch rivals from start to finish, and could have suffered greater humiliation had Salah and his teammates finished off several other late chances.
While other Liverpool players celebrated their resounding success, Salah stole the headlines with his post-match thoughts.
“I had a good summer, a long time to stay with myself and think positively a bit, this is my last year with the club and I want to enjoy it,” the 32-year-old told Sky Sports. “I feel I am free to play football — we will see what happens next year. Nobody in the club has talked to me about contracts. It is not up to me, it is up to the club.”
Slot’s dream start to life in England continued as he became the first Liverpool manager to win his first meeting with United since Bob Paisley in November 1975, and just the second to do so away from home after George Kay in November 1936.
There was only one topic on everyone’s lips after the match, however, even given the nature of the success.
“There is a lot of ifs, but at this moment he is one of ours and I am really happy with him,” Slot said. “I don’t talk about contracts. He was impressive, like the first two games but if you talk about an individual, you don’t do justice to the other ones.”
Salah signed a three-year deal in 2022 that reportedly made him the highest paid player in the club’s history, worth more than 18 million ($24 million) a year.
But he has been consistently linked with a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League. A year ago Liverpool reportedly rejected a bid of 150 million from Al-Ittihad.
He is just one of three major Liverpool players out of contract at the end of the season, along with captain Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2024