Jamie Carragher is “very disappointed” with Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool contract comments, branding them “selfish”.
Salah told reporters after Sunday’s 3-2 victory at Southampton, in which he scored two goals including the winner, that he is yet to receive a new contract offer from the club and feels “more out than in” as he nears the end of his existing deal.
The 32-year-old is one of three key Liverpool players, along with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts expire this summer.
But the Egyptian’s post-match comments have angered Carragher, who believes the focus for Salah should be on winning the Premier League this season with the Reds sitting eight points clear at the top.
Carragher told Monday Night Football: “Right now there’s obviously a big difference in the valuation. What Mo Salah and his agent value themselves at, whether that’s financially or in terms of length of contract, to what Liverpool do.
“So the reason Liverpool wouldn’t have offered a contract yet is because Mo Salah will turn it down, so they’re still in talks. I’m desperate for them to meet in the middle, but I must say I am very disappointed with Mo Salah. That interview yesterday after the game and it comes out today.
“Liverpool have got Real Madrid midweek and they’ve got Manchester City at the weekend, that’s the story for Liverpool right now.
“Mo Salah, we’re all quite aware, certainly the local reporters are in Liverpool, that in the seven years he’s been at the football club he’s stopped in the mixed zone twice, which is his right, which is absolutely fine.
“But he decided to stop for the third time away at Southampton on the back of winning Liverpool the game and putting that out.
“Now the most important thing for Liverpool this season is not the future of Mo Salah, it’s not the future of Virgil van Dijk and it’s not the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“The most important thing is Liverpool winning the Premier League. That is more important than any of those players, and if he continues to put comments out or his agent keeps putting cryptic tweets out, that’s selfish, that’s thinking about themselves and not the football club.”
Carra: Liverpool have moved on from greats before
Salah’s importance to Liverpool is still clear after hitting 12 goals and providing 10 assists across all competitions already this season.
But while Carragher believes Salah is among Liverpool’s greats, the club have shown in the past they are able to move on from legendary players.
He said: “I would say Mo Salah is in the top five players to ever play for Liverpool.
“I would go Steven Gerrard, Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Ian Rush and I’d put Mo Salah in fifth position. That’s how highly I rate him, that’s how special this guy is.”
Questioned whether the club should give Salah what he wants, Carragher replied: “No, it’s not about giving somebody what they want.
“I hope Mo Salah and the other two players who were involved in this, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, [don’t] feel like that this club will fall apart if they ever move on. Steven Gerrard left the football club, the next manager came in and won the league. Steven Gerrard didn’t win the league, Jurgen Klopp won the league with a new team.
“Kenny Dalglish, at that time Liverpool’s greatest-ever player, when he stopped playing, Peter Beardsley came in and was part of probably the greatest footballing team we’ve ever seen in a red shirt in 1988.
“Graeme Souness left, Liverpool won the double for the first time in their history two years later in 1986.
“Ian Rush moved on, after him came John Aldridge and then later when Ian Rush moved on, Robbie Fowler came.
“And Salah, would we miss him if he moved on? Of course we would, but I can assure you Liverpool will move on.”
Analysis: Compromise needed on both sides – but it should get there
Sky Sports News’ senior reporter Melissa Reddy:
“You can understand why Salah has termed it this way. He doesn’t have a new offer on the table, it’s nearly December and he can speak to overseas clubs in January, which is just a blink away.
“It’s important to stress negotiations are ongoing between Liverpool and Salah’s representative, Remy Abbas. I’m told those are open, developing conversations. But ultimately, a formal proposal is only made when you’ve agreed on all the terms you are discussing.
“Things are progressing in the right direction, but obviously there is a gap between what Salah wants and what Liverpool are prepared to put on the table. There has to be a compromise on both sides.
“Liverpool have to think about long-term squad planning, the age profile of the team, and about operating sustainably. But they would need to bend their parameters for Salah.
“He still wants to compete for domestic titles, and the Champions League. If he’s looking around, which top club would have space for him, and the ability to pay him what he deserves, and give him the freedom he wants?
“He has made it abundantly clear he loves Liverpool and wants to stay. So there also needs to be a bit of compromise on his side, and because there is a will to get a deal done from both parties, it will ultimately get there.
“There is an element of Liverpool being conscious that whatever concessions they make with Salah, they also have two other big contract issues to sort with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, so there might be a bit of a knock-on effect there.
“I’m told the club are very calm, but you can understand why the players, especially with the status of Salah, aren’t feeling that way.”