Paul Merson believes Liverpool would struggle to cope without Mohamed Salah if the superstar leaves the club in the summer.
Salah has been repeatedly linked with a move away from Anfield in recent years, and the Saudi professional is expected to make another attempt to sign him. As previously reported by Mail Sport, Al-Ittihad made a £200 million bid for Salah last summer, but the Reds were able to fend it off.
However, with new bids expected at the end of the season and Jurgen Klopp on the verge of retirement, talk of Salah’s possible departure has resurfaced. If he leaves, you could take the pool out of Liverpool,” Merson told Sky Sports.
‘You’re talking about a right winger doing those kinds of numbers. You’re talking about [Bukayo] Saka, who is a phenomenal player. He doesn’t come close to those numbers. He and [Gabriel] Martinelli had a great season last year.
They didn’t score as many goals between them as Salah. And Liverpool didn’t finish anywhere.” Salah has just 12 months left on his £300,000-a-week contract in the summer, and Liverpool must decide whether to cash in on him or offer him a new mega-contract. However, former Reds defender Kolo Toure believes it would be money well spent.
He is a very effective player. He wants to score goals,” says Toure. He doesn’t want to run. He will run at the right time. When he’s marked, he knows how to play a pass. He can pass the ball to his teammates. He’s made very good passes. Sometimes he doesn’t finish them, which is difficult for him.
I think he’s a very effective player. Liverpool needed a player like him to score goals and contribute.