Liverpool manager Arne Slot has responded to claims suggesting that Mohamed Salah is irreplaceable at the club.
Though he failed to score, Salah set up two of Liverpool's goals during their dominant 4-0 win in the Champions League over Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday night and put in another brilliant display for the Reds. Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie labelled the Egyptian as "irreplaceable" after the game, alluding to Salah's importance on the side amid his contract expiring next summer.
Talks are reportedly ongoing between Liverpool and the player over a contract extension, though he is free to negotiate with clubs outside of England come January.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot on Salah's influence
When responding to such high praise for Salah, Slot attempted to move the conversation on as quickly as possible, highlighting everything is forward has achieved and is continuing to achieve at Anfield.
“Is Salah irreplaceable? That’s not what I think about at the moment,” Slot told TNT Sport Brazil. “The only thing that I think about is that he’s so important for us [because he] scores important goals, works hard for the team and I’m hoping that he can enjoy that feeling [scoring at Anfield] many, many, many more times – especially if I’m here.
“But even if I’m not here I’m still hoping for him that he can do this many more times. He’s been incredible for Liverpool for the past six, seven, eight years.
“I don’t know exactly how long he’s been here, and he’s been incredible for us this season. I hope he can continue doing this for the rest of the season and maybe longer to come. But that’s something up to him and the club to find the idea about the future.”
Salah joined Liverpool in the summer of 2017, and has since gone on to become one of the club's best ever players from the modern era. 220 goals in 365 games in all competitions is a phenomenal return, and at 32 he's showing no signs of slowing down.
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Contract negotiations could prove difficult for Liverpool to navigate, however. The Egyptian currently earns a club-high of £350,000-per-week and would likely want a multi-year deal to take him into at least his mid-30s.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have previously preferred to let players go when they approach that age bracket, with James Milner and Adam Lallana examples of that - albeit not quite on Salah's level.
In FourFourTwo's opinion, it's unclear where Salah will be playing his football come next season, though Slot's comments highlight how he has little-to-no involvement in discussions.
Liverpool take on Aston Villa this weekend when Premier League action returns.
