Pundit claims Liverpool stars head has been turned | OneFootball

Form dip raises familiar questions at Anfield

There is a peculiar sound around Anfield right now. It is not panic, not quite concern, but the uneasy murmur that accompanies the end of an era. When Mohamed Salah stops scoring, Liverpool supporters notice. When he goes nine league games without a goal, the whispers grow louder.

Into that space stepped Ray Parlour, a man who knows English football dressing rooms and understands how rumours creep into a player’s head. His verdict was blunt. “He’s not been the same player since he signed that new contract,” Parlour said on talkSPORT. “I know his head’s been turned a little bit in Saudi Arabia, but you’re playing for Liverpool Football Club.”

There is something honest in that observation. Salah has carried Liverpool through title races and European nights, yet football is unsentimental. If the numbers slip, the narrative follows. A player once untouchable becomes a question to be answered.

. – Liverpool v Qarabag FK, UEFA Champions League, League Phase, Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England

Ray Parlour comments add fuel to transfer speculation

Parlour did not stop at form. He suggested a summer exit would not shock him. “Wouldn’t surprise me [if Salah left in summer], no. Not at all,” he added. “Whether Liverpool look at it and say, look, he’s not really… We’re paying him a lot of money, and we can get him off the wage bill, and suddenly we can bring someone else or get one of the youngsters, give them an opportunity.”

That is the cold arithmetic of modern football. Salah is reportedly on around £400,000 a week, and when a Saudi Pro League club circles with the promise of vast wages and a transfer fee to match, clubs start calculating.

Liverpool are no strangers to ruthless decisions. From Kevin Keegan to Philippe Coutinho, Anfield history is littered with icons moved on at the right time. The question is whether Salah belongs in that category now, or whether this is merely a champion going through a lean spell.

Saudi Pro League lure grows louder for ageing stars

The Saudi Pro League has altered football’s transfer economy. It offers something European clubs cannot: financial gravity strong enough to pull even the most decorated players towards it. From Cristiano Ronaldo to Karim Benzema, the list is already impressive.

For Salah, there is an added dimension. He is a global icon in the Arabic-speaking world, a marketing dream for Saudi football’s ambitions. That matters. It matters to sponsors, broadcasters and club owners looking to expand their reach.

Yet Liverpool must balance commerce with competition. Salah is not just a brand. He is a forward who has delivered goals, assists and unforgettable moments since 2017. Even in a difficult season, his presence shapes defenders and opens space for others.

So the debate continues. Has the Saudi Pro League truly turned his head, or is this merely speculation born from a rare drought?

Liverpool face defining decision on Salah’s future

Football rarely offers tidy endings. Legends leave awkwardly. Contracts expire. Form fades. The test for Liverpool is clarity.

Sell Salah this summer, and the club saves tens of millions in wages and National Insurance contributions, as finance experts have noted. Keep him, and they retain a proven match-winner whose reputation still terrifies defences.

The decision will not be emotional. It will be strategic. Parlour’s comments have sharpened the focus, not created the issue. Salah is 33, under contract until 2027, and carrying the weight of expectation that comes with greatness.

Perhaps he rediscovers his scoring touch and silences the chatter. Perhaps the Saudi Pro League comes calling with an offer impossible to ignore. Either way, Liverpool’s next move will shape the post-Salah era before it even begins.