Anfield on alert for Salah exit
secure his long-term future – even though he can leave for nothing next summer.
Senior sources at Anfield have confirmed they have gone as far as they can in negotiations with Salah’s camp without smashing their wage structure.
And after selling Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich in a deal potentially worth £35million to break another contract stalemate, the Reds currently do not envisage the 30-year-old now initiating a compromise.
But the belief inside Anfield is that Salah is too much of a perfectionist to down tools.
The former Chelsea and Roma star shared the Golden Boot with Tottenham’s Heung-min
Son after netting 23 goals last term.
He also did an FWA Footballer of the Year and PFA Player of the Year double for the second time in five seasons.
Salah’s relationship with manager Jurgen Klopp remains strong despite the stand-off, and his conduct throughout talks has been exemplary.
Liverpool’s capture of Darwin Nunez has maintained the potency of Klopp’s strikeforce. They have also signed Fulham teenager Fabio Carvalho in a deal worth £5m plus add-ons.
Bonuses
And 18-year-old Aberdeen right-back Calvin Ramsay (above) was undergoing a medical yesterday before completing a transfer that will see the Reds pay £4m and another £2.5m in easilyachievable bonuses.
Liverpool do not envisage doing any more business in this summer’s transfer market.
They were interested in 22-year-old Aurelien Tchouameni before Real Madrid made it clear they would meet an asking price of £86m set by Monaco, which the Reds felt was too expensive.
Sporting director Julian Ward will spend the new season finding a player who fits Klopp’s requirement of being “young, athletic and multi-functional” – and Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham is of huge interest.
Liverpool are planning to talk to Diogo Jota, Naby Keita, Harvey Elliott and Joe Gomez about securing their long-term futures. Gomez is seen as the most problematic.
The England defender was seen as the natural partner to Virgil van Dijk before a serious knee injury in November 2020. He is back to full fitness but was unable to force his way into the team as a centre-back last term.
LIVERPOOL have told full-back Neco Williams, 21, that he can go out on loan next season to give him game time ahead of the World Cup. The Wales star is a target for Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest and Fulham.