Liverpool would not be a better side without Mohamed Salah, says Micah Richards – who insists they “need him”.
As much as Arne Slot has begun life swimmingly at Anfield and established the Reds as title-contenders, a powerful sense of dread lingers around the club. Three of their all-star first-teamers, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Salah, all have deals that expire in 2025.
The Egyptian, having joined the club in 2017, will undoubtedly go down as one of Liverpool’s all-time greats when his time to depart does come, given his resume, but the question remains: How will they fare if he does leave next summer?
According to Sky Sports pundit Richards, not very well. The former Manchester City defender feels that Salah is a necessity if success is to be present on Merseyside, and the club would be nowhere near as complete a team without him.
When asked on The Rest Is Football podcast if Liverpool would be a stronger side next season with the talismanic Salah, Richards simply replied: “No, no, no – not a chance!”
“Not a chance. Liverpool need Salah. The reason why I say that is that Salah can score even when he’s not playing well. That is the difference. Just so many times, he’s unlocked the door just by being in the right position. A piece of skill, whether it be a set piece, even his goal against Arsenal, the movement, I don’t think anyone can replace him.
“I’m just saying that what he’s done at Liverpool in terms of three Champions League finals, winning the Champions League, winning the league, what he’s done at Liverpool, has been so important.”
On a contract extension, Salah has kept relatively quiet to date, not letting slip his future plans, Although he did admit in the wake of his side’s 3-0 thrashing of rivals Manchester United that no one has approached him yet in what is his final year with the club.
“I had a good summer. I had a long time to work on myself and think positively because, as you know, this is my last year at the club” Salah told Sky Sports.
“I just want to enjoy it, and I don’t want to think about it. I feel free to play football, and we’ll see what happens next year. I was coming to the game, I was saying ‘Look, it could be the last time’. Nobody in the club talked to me yet about contracts so I was just like, ‘OK, I play my last season and see at the end of the season’.”
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