Steven Gerrard has revealed that he spoke to Mohamed Salah after the Liverpool star’s bombshell comments back in December.
The Egyptian international declared that he felt he had been “thrown under the bus” by his employers in the wake of the 3-3 draw at Leeds United, as he sat on the sidelines as an unused substitute once more.
That had been the case for the past two games, and the forward vented his frustrations in the mixed zone afterwards, throwing his future at Anfield into doubt.
Salah claimed that he had “no relationship” with manager Arne Slot, accusing “somebody” of “not wanting me at the club”.
Since then, he has been re-established in the side as the Reds look to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League, but it was announced last month that Salah would leave the club upon the expiration of his contract this summer.
Speaking on The Overlap, Liverpool legend Gerrard believes that the decision was made “in everyone’s best interests”.
“I think the timing is right,” Gerrard said.
“He's obviously had a disagreement with the manager. I don't know at what level but he's done the interview which I think he'll regret further down the line.
“That told me there was an issue there. I think also, even going back before that, Liverpool as a football club only wanted to give Mo Salah one year.
“Rather than the two, but because he had such an outstanding season and his numbers were great, they have given him a two-year [contract].
“I only ever saw it as a one-year at that level. We've all played in those years and I just think for everyone, it's in everyone's [best] interest for it to end, but also end on Mo Salah's terms.
“I spoke to him around that interview at the time and sort of said to him, ‘Don't do what you've done and go under a cloud’. I spoke to him directly.
“He texts me now and again, or I text him, more to do if I'm going somewhere with [Gerrard’s son] Leo. Just so Leo can see him.
“I'm not close to him, but it gave me the opportunity to say ‘You've been here for eight or nine years, you've come here and got this legacy. Just go on your terms the right way.’
“He is still a little emotional from the incident. He was a substitute, in and out of the team at the time. He was upset. But I just thought it would have been a shame if he'd left in January and just left.
“I understand both sides of it now that I've done a bit of managing myself.”
Salah has played 34 games in all competitions this term, scoring 10 goals.
He has played 22 games of Liverpool’s 31 in the Premier League, notching six times.
