Michael Owen gives his view on Mohamed Salah Liverpool contract row
Mohamed Salah is now expected to leave Liverpool in the summer and former striker Michael Owen believes the dispute over a new deal is not down to money
Michael Owen thinks Liverpool supporters are right to fume at the club over Mohamed Salah ’s contract stand-off.
But the former striker reckons the big issue might be Salah, 32, demanding a long-term deal rather than a dispute over wages.
The Egyptian, whose current terms expire next June, said he was “more out than in” when asked about his future after Sunday’s come from behind win at Southampton. And Owen has revealed whispers from close to the camp suggest Salah, who currently earns £350,000 a week, is looking for a multi-year deal.
“I think fans around the world will be very annoyed at the club,” Owen told Optus Sport. “If that’s the case – and I can’t imagine Mo Salah is going to lie – then it’s really bad from the club’s point of view.
“My inkling, and I might be wrong, but what I hear is that Mo Salah is wanting a longer-term contract.
“When you’re young, you want short contracts, keep the desirability, keep them short and keep everybody wanting you. When you’re older of course you want stability and you want to be secure."
Salah remains in tip-top physical shape and has found the net 12 times in 16 starts across all competitions so far this season.
But while that points to Salah not being on the wane just yet, Owen reckons the club will be mindful of the fact age will catch up with him at some point.
Owen added: “He’s very different – he’s as fit as fiddle and he’s still banging them in. But if he’s going in [to negotiations] and asking for five years then rightly so the club will think that’s too long.
“So maybe they’re not even sitting down because Mo has said ‘Well I’m not going to talk to you if you are not going to give you five years.' And I don’t know entirely but my sources tell me it’s more of a term problem.
“One thing that Mo Salah has got the head start on is he’s just done that interview and straight away the fans are going to be thinking, ‘What are you doing, Liverpool Football Club.’”
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