Carragher reveals exact terms of new deal Liverpool should offer Mo Salah as journalist hails ‘PR masterstroke’

Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool will soon offer Mo Salah a new deal at Anfield and has spelled out why he believes his extension should NOT include a pay-rise – while an in-the-know journalist has hailed the Egyptian for playing the media brilliantly over negotiations around his extension.

Salah has proved pound for pound one of the best signings in Liverpool history since a bargain £36.9m move from Roma in summer 2017. Having top-scored in each of his seven full seasons at Anfield and having helped the Reds to win seven major honours in that time, Salah’s place in the Liverpool history books is assured regardless of what happens going forward.

As it stands, his contract at Anfield is due to expire at the end of the season, meaning the mercurial 32-year-old can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas suitor from January 1 – just 27 days from now.

Salah has come in for criticism from Carragher for going public on the saga and for informing journalists he is ‘more out than in’ with regards his future at Anfield. However, The Athletic journalist Simon Hughes has labelled those comments a ‘PR masterstroke’ and, with optimism building that Salah will stay, it appears that the tactic has paid dividends.

But during an appearance on the It’s Called Soccer! podcast, Carragher has made it clear that he does not think Salah should get a pay-hike on his current £350,000 a week wages.

“If Liverpool are saying ‘we’re only going to give him a year’s contract and we want him to take a big reduction in wages’, I don’t think that’s right,” he said.

Asked what if he merits a pay-rise, Carragher replied: “I don’t think more, I think he’s still one of the highest-paid players. I don’t think he should get less money, he’s still the best player in the team, him and Virgil van Dijk.

“For me, it’ll be a two-year contract but if he’s willing to sign a year’s contract and then Liverpool don’t get that deal done, I can assure you I’ll do a 180, I’ll be looking at the club. My criticism of Mo Salah isn’t because of the contract, it’s speaking publicly when Liverpool are in such a great position.”

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Sources have told TEAMtalk that Liverpool are now hopeful that Salah will indeed sign and that, contrary to other reports, the Reds are set to offer the player a new two-year deal, running through to the summer of 2027 by which time the player will be 35-years-old.

And our reporter, Rudy Galetti, has lifted the lid on the big Ballon d’Or incentive that is persuading the Egyptian to remain at Anfield.

Looking further into Hughes’ comments, The Athletic journalist believes Salah has played the system and the media perfectly, effectively backing owners FSG into a contract by leaving them with little option but to sign off on a big new contract for the star.

However, while speaking on the Walk On podcast, Hughes stated that the 32-year-old may initially only sign up for a further year: “Mohamed Salah is open to the idea of a one-year contract at Liverpool, a one-year contract extension.

“Of course, there’s been a lot of debate over the last couple of weeks about what his expectations are. I mean, the information that I’ve had which is put in the piece is that he’s very frustrated at the pace of the negotiations and where they are at at the moment.

“It’s certainly not a case of him saying, ‘Right, I want three years, all that security’, but what he does expect is to be paid in keeping with the best players in the world, which I don’t think anybody can deny that he is at the moment.

“From my perspective, I mean, it seems like quite a, would be a sensible thing for everybody to agree on, really. It’s a PR masterstroke. It’s backed Fenway Sports Group into a corner, and if now he leaves, and signs a pre-contract with a foreign club on 1 January, everyone will turn and point fingers. He’s compromised.

“He’s not saying, ‘I want to play till I’m 39’ or anything. He’s saying, ‘Just give me another year. I want to stay at Anfield’.”

Latest Liverpool transfer news: Inter star targeted; Zubimendi decision

Meanwhile, Liverpool are reported to be ‘leading the race’ to sign Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram next year amid claims Slot has made the capture of the Frenchman one of his main targets for 2025.

The Merseysiders are flying under Slot, but the Dutch perfectionist has seemingly still found areas in which to improve the side – and it appears that a big-money Jurgen Klopp signing could be in danger of being usurped if the Reds boss gets his way.

Any deal for the Inter Milan star would not come cheap, however.

Elsewhere, the Reds appear to be finally closing in on a long-awaited deal for Martin Zubimendi amid claims the Real Sociedad midfielder has performed another U-turn on his decision to remain in LaLiga and with new information coming to light as to when a move to Anfield can eventually go through.

One man who has benefited from Liverpool’s failure to sign the Euro 2024 winner last summer was Ryan Gravenberch, who has gone on to enjoy a stellar season so far in the Reds’ engine room.

However, reports overnight now claim Real Madrid have added the Netherlands midfielder to their wishlist and are keeping a close watch on the former Bayern Munich man with regard a blockbuster future move.

Salah’s incredible record for Liverpool over the years