Mo Salah’s best friend in football reveals Liverpool end is nigh amid outrageous Saudi windfall

Former Liverpool star Dejan Lovren has provided the most sincere answer yet over the future of his best friend, Mo Salah, with a second source confirming the ludicrous wages on offer to the Egyptian, while a third has revealed the debate still raging in the player’s mind.

The 32-year-old is now an alarming 139 days from the official expiration of his contract at Liverpool with the player then free to sign for a club of his choosing – unless the Reds manage to negotiate an extension with the player in the meantime. But while those talks continue behind the scenes, the prospect of losing their star man on a free transfer is ringing uncomfortably close for Arne Slot’s side.

Indeed, despite months of talks, Salah remains no nearer agreeing fresh terms with Liverpool, and with Saudi Arabian super-power Al-Hilal lurking in the background, the Egyptian’s best friend in football, former Reds star Lovren, has provided a worrying update.

“Salah believes that there are things missing from the club’s side, and I hope it will be resolved soon. But the current reality is that he is closer to leaving than staying,” Lovren told winwin.

“I came to the conclusion that the club doesn’t respect him enough, or not as much as he thinks he deserves, but that’s another side of the conversation, it’s all about what’s going on behind the scenes.

“He loves Liverpool, by the way, he loves Liverpool a lot, and he wants to stay, and that’s the most important part, maybe he sees himself retiring there.”

Journalist Ben Jacobs, meanwhile, has confirmed the eye-watering salary Salah can earn by moving to Saudi Arabia after confirming reports that he could be allowed to leave ‘early’ and ahead of his Anfield deal expiring.

‘Liverpool will allow Salah to leave his current deal early if he doesn’t extend, and without cost to Hilal, if he chooses to exit Anfield for Saudi,’ Jacobs wrote for Givemesport.

‘Salah has the chance to earn over £160m-per-season, a similar package Cristiano Ronaldo, who is also in talks to extend to Al-Nassr. But no new contract will be officially offered unless given encouragement by Salah.’

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Salah left with straight 50/50 choice

Jacobs believes there is a confidence in Saudi Arabia right now that talks with Salah have gone well and the player now has a straight 50/50 choice between extending at Anfield and signing a lucrative deal with Al-Hilal.

‘Right now, Saudi dealmakers are simply doing their due diligence, knowing clarity on Salah’s future is expected relatively soon. Liverpool and Salah are yet to find common ground on a contract length or wage, but talks are nonetheless described as positive by sources within the club.

‘Hilal believe Salah will only join them if he leaves Liverpool, making it a straight choice between the two clubs, although several European suitors are also alert to his situation. PSG have consistently denied holding talks with Salah, although their president Nasser Al-Khelaifi does enjoy a close friendship with him,’ Jacobs concluded.

Despite that, our transfer insider Fraser Fletcher insists that Salah’s priority remains a new deal at Anfield, though admits that a divide between the two parties could ultimately force his exit.

Following on from that, Caught Offside claims Salah’s main motivation is to win a Ballon d’Or – something he looks on course to achieve this year – though his chances would be severely deflated were he to leave Anfield midway through the year.

Liverpool transfer latest: Van Dijk latest as replacement is targeted

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed talks are also ongoing with Virgil van Dijk after the player’s agent was spotted in the Anfield crowd last week sitting alongside sporting director Richard Hughes.

Like Salah, the Dutch defender is also out of contract on July 1 and has been strongly linked with Barcelona in recent days amid claims they plan to offload Ronald Araujo to make room in their squad.

Meanwhile, the Reds have their eyes on a possible successor for their captain with a player very familiar to boss Arne Slot on their wishlist.

With Van Dijk linked with Barca, the towering defender might not be the only Dutch star who could be on the move between the two clubs this summer if fanciful reports in Spain are to be believed, amid claims that Frenkie De Jong has had a ‘bombshell’ transfer to Anfield green-lit, with his asking price also coming to light.

And finally, while Liverpool’s focus will be very much turned to victory in the last ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, journalist Henry Winter has criticised Slot for the first big mistake he has made since succeeding Jurgen Klopp and having also named the three players he now knows he cannot rely on following their disappointing FA Cup exit at Plymouth Argyle.

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