Critical Mohamed Salah, Liverpool exit update emerges as trusted source reveals chief reason star could quit | OneFootball

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah “will decide in the next six weeks” whether to quit Anfield for good this summer, with a respected journalist dropping a reminder of the “severity” of one of this season’s storylines and revealing the major factor that could yet determine why he could walk away.

The Egyptian star has written himself into Liverpool folklore after blasting in an incredible 255 goals in his 435 appearances since a £36.9m move from Roma in July 2017. Now into his ninth season at Anfield, Salah has helped the Reds win eight major honours in that time, including the Premier League title twice and the Champions League trophy.

But despite penning the largest deal in Liverpool history last summer, worth a staggering £400,000 a week, Salah has suffered a major downturn in form this season and is currently on course for comfortably his lowest-ever goals tally across a single campaign for Liverpool. His strike against Galatasaray on Wednesday night, though, did at least enable the 33-year-old to reach double figures for the season.

It’s common knowledge that interest in his services from Saudi Arabia remains strong and we revealed earlier this month that Pro-League officials are ready to escalate their pursuit of the Egyptian, offering him not only riches beyond his wildest dreams but the opportunity to become an ambassador for the Middle East country.

Now the Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele has provided a major update on Salah’s situation, insisting the player has still to make up his mind over an exit and making clear that his falling out with manager Arne Slot – when he accused the Reds boss of “throwing him under the bus” – cannot be overlooked.

As Steele explains, “the Saudis are also hot on Salah, as we have known for some time”, before reinforcing our messages about the financial punch they pack with regards luring the 33-year-old star away from Anfield.

However, as Steele notes: “Sources in Egypt this week suggested the forward had still not made a final decision on where he sees his mid-term future”, adding that “a lot may depend on the next six weeks”, which references both how Liverpool’s season will play out and whether Slot will be kept on as manager.

But as the reporter underlines, while Slot and Salah have since made things up, “people are quick to forget the severity of the players’ comments about his manager in early December,” which underlined a turbulent situation at Anfield and that all is not well behind the scenes.

Furthermore, Steele notes that the uncertainty remains, adding: “Surely that must still be in the Egyptian’s mind, even if both parties insist all is fine and well.”

Liverpool told time to replace Salah is upon them

In other words, if Liverpool do manage to win a trophy and secure qualification for the Champions League next season, then their prospects of enticing Salah to stay will increase.

However, should he wish to depart, and with the summer window likely the Reds’ last chance to claw back any transfer fee for the veteran star, they would not likely stand in his way.

That’s despite the revelation that Liverpool may face a whopping £113m hit on the player after a top limit was set on the cost of a potential transfer.

Nonetheless, former Reds midfielder Dietmar Hamann feels that Salah’s decline this season means Liverpool should very strongly consider cashing in and having explained why the Reds should break their transfer record again to sign Michael Olise as his replacement.

Hamann stated: “Mohamed Salah has struggled since the Christmas before last. He struggled to score goals from open play, and that hasn’t changed; it won’t change. He might get the odd goal, but he certainly doesn’t have the influence he used to have on Liverpool.

“Hopefully, we’ll see a little cameo over the last nine or ten games to get Liverpool into the top five. But I think his best days are behind him.”

On why Liverpool should do all in their power to sign the £140m-rated (€162m, $188m) Olise as a replacement, Hamann added: “For Liverpool, Michael Olise would be the perfect fit because he plays on the right-hand side, comes inside. He’s been brilliant since he came to Bayern Munich.

“He’s been a bit quiet in the last few weeks, but there are other players who decide games. But now with the Champions League starting again, I think we’ll probably see the best of him again.

“He’s a wonderful player. I probably couldn’t think of a more perfect replacement for Salah than him. Bayern Munich will be reluctant to let him go because I don’t think he’s got a clause in his contract.

“He seems to be pretty settled and happy here. And if he only wants to play for Barcelona or Real Madrid, then that might not even come into the equation. But yeah, I’m sure that Liverpool will try their utmost to maybe get him out of Munich.”

Despite those wishes, we recently revealed that Bayern had absolutely zero intention of cashing in on the 24-year-old France international, while the player himself was also content to stay at the Allianz Arena amid fresh enquiries from Liverpool, Manchester City and PSG over a possible summer move.

Liverpool list 43 y/o German as possible Slot successor; Hughes exit truths

Meanwhile, Liverpool are reported to have listed a 43-year-old Bundesliga manager as a genuine option to succeed Slot, should the Reds decide to sack the Dutchman, and in a move that would stir memories of the move to appoint the iconic Jurgen Klopp in October 2015.

On the transfer front, we can exclusively reveal that Liverpool are among a group of four sides who have listed an exciting new Premier League January signing as a future capture of their own, though the club in question are protected by a huge €100m exit clause.