Mo Salah ‘desperate’ to get Liverpool contract sorted as old boy advises FSG how to get signing over the line

Mo Salah is pushing for Liverpool to close out negotiations over his new deal and a former Reds star has given FSG a pleasing update on the saga – while Arne Slot’s side have been told why a Bournemouth player would be a “brilliant” replacement for a long-serving star.

The Egyptian star is in the form of his life this season, smashing his way to an astonishing 37-goal contributions already and with the season potentially only at the halfway point for Liverpool. As both the top scorer and leading assist maker in the Premier League this season, the 32-year-old’s form has been a significant factor in the Reds’ seemingly unchallenged bid to win only a second English league crown in 35 years.

Despite Salah‘s exceptional form, something of a shadow hovers over Anfield with the player falling out of contract at the season’s end and now eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas side of his choosing. To that end, there are no shortage of suitors for a player now very much regarded as one of the best in the world and with strong reports on New Year’s Day revealing PSG were set to step up their quest to land Salah by offering him a bumper contract.

However, former Kop favourite Dietmar Hamann remains unconcerned that the Reds could lose their talismanic star and he insists he cannot see him playing for any other side but Liverpool and with a new two-year deal on the table.

“Mo Salah is out of contract but there’s a good chance he stays at Liverpool. You can’t plan these things, though, and I’m sure he’s desperate to get it sorted,” Hamann told Boylesports.

“If they were to win the league and Champions League, it might be a good time to go out on a bang and go to another club, time will tell them.

“Any club would be foolish not to sign Salah and show interest in January. Typically you would have to be careful about strikers or offensive players hitting the age of 32. With Salah there are no issues. The question will be, after having such a great time at Liverpool will he want to play anywhere else? He has played at Chelsea previously – which didn’t work out for him.

“This is something only he could decide. Personally, I can’t see him in anything other than a Liverpool shirt.”

Urging FSG to commit to a new two-year deal for the player, Hamann added: “I’m sure a lot of teams would love to take him. I would give him a couple of years and then would like to see what happens because anything can happen at his age. The way he has been speaking, I don’t think he has any intention to leave. From what I hear, both Salah and Liverpool are negotiating and I think he will stay.”

READ MORE: Euro giant blow Liverpool away with vastly superior Mo Salah contract offer

Salah remains committed to Liverpool

While Salah is free to negotiate terms overseas, sources have informed us that the player’s first priority remains in signing a new deal on Merseyside.

The player has also been extremely vocal in providing both an update on his situation and in revealing his love and affection for the club and the city.

“The most important thing is the team winning, hopefully we win the Premier League,” Salah told Amazon Prime on Boxing Day. “It’s great, but we focus on each game and hopefully we carry on like that. “It feels different, but the most important thing is we need to stay humble.

“This one is very special. Hopefully, we can win the Premier League and for this club, it’s something I dream of.”

From the Liverpool end, though, they have been extremely careful in not saying too much publicly on the situation, though manager Slot has handled all questions from the media superbly well when asked about the Egyptian’s future.

Speaking just last week, Slot stated: “It’s clear that from January 1, maybe for you guys, things change a lot but they are in constant talks with the club and let’s wait and see what happens,” said Slot. “As long as they keep performing like this, the head coach is happy.

“In general, I don’t talk about contract situations here. It would be a surprise if I was the one to announce that one of them has extended. Keep asking, that’s your job but you’re probably not going to get an answer from me.”

Good news, though, does now appear imminent for Liverpool with journalist Fabrizio Romano providing an update on the saga and underlining Liverpool’s progress being made over Salah.

“Salah said we are still far away from [signing a new contract] when he asked about good news on the contract,” began Romano on his YouTube channel earlier this week. “Mo confirmed once again in public (after the West Ham match) how the new contract is still not agreed with Liverpool.

“Let me also say what Liverpool think about it because Mo is speaking in public several times, but Liverpool are not replying.

“This is Liverpool’s position in public, of course, because Arne Slot in every press conference doesn’t want to mention anything on contracts. That’s absolutely something we have to respect.

“But behind the scenes, Liverpool insist they are negotiating with all three players – Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold.

“They are absolutely pushing with all of them and especially with Van Dijk and Salah Liverpool maintain their confidence to find a way, to find an agreement.

“But at the moment, still no breakthrough in negotiations. So the talks continue and Liverpool maintain that they keep insisting, they keep talking. But at the moment there is no green light.

“For Trent, as I told you several times, Real Madrid are there, but still nothing done or agreed [between Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid].”

Hamann wants Liverpool to sign Milos Kerkez

Elsewhere, Liverpool could use the January window to try and furnish Slot with one or additions ahead of the second half of the season.

And having finished the summer window in the rare position of having their balance sheet in the positive column, FSG have informed the Reds that there is money there to spend if the right players come on to the market.

One player we have consistently reported that Liverpool are keen on is Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, who has been identified as a possible long-term target for Andy Robertson.

Questioned about the prospect of signing the Hungary international, Hamann believes he would prove a “brilliant” signing for Slot.

“Milos Kerkez is a brilliant player,” Hamann continued. “We see it time and time again in the Premier League. If you play well, you will gain a lot of interest. Andy Robertson is in his late 20s [editor’s note: Robertson is 31 in March] and Kostas Tsimikas is a great back up – but he has wanted to leave for the past two seasons now. It’s a position Liverpool should definitely look at. Robertson is a great player who is having a dip at the moment. If there is a player with the level of Kerkez or Alphonso Davies, why not go for it.

“Kerkez reminds me of John Arne Riise a lot. Riise liked to bomb forward and was a very attacking left-back. He had a great strike on him. It’s a bonus if you have a full-back who defends very well and is able to score, set goals up and cross a few balls in. It makes the game a lot easier.”

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk transfer correspondent Rudy Galetti has revealed that Liverpool are open to selling Darwin Nunez, with two superstar strikers the Reds are monitoring coming to light.

Salah’s incredible stats for Liverpool down the years