‘He has to go’ – Journalist claims Brighton match on Saturday should be Salah’s last for Liverpool
One prominent journalist has explained why he thinks Liverpool should part with Mo Salah in the January transfer window.
The Egyptian has dominated the headlines since his explosive public outburst on Saturday night in which he claimed to have ‘no relationship’ with Arne Slot and accused someone at Anfield of ‘throwing me under the bus’ (Sky Sports).
The 33-year-old neither confirmed nor denied whether he’s already played his final match for the Reds, although he did reveal that he told his family to attend the home game against Brighton next weekend, where he would ‘say goodbye to the fans’ before leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday.
Winter: ‘Hard to see’ how Salah can remain at Liverpool
Journalist Henry Winter took to X on Tuesday morning to share his thoughts on Salah’s future, and he eloquently explained why he believes a parting of the ways next month would be in everyone’s best interests.
He posted: ‘Hard to see how Mo Salah can stay at Liverpool. January break best for all concerned. One of Liverpool’s greatest ever players is frustrated at the realisation that he is not a starter under Arne Slot. His form doesn’t warrant a place. His work out of possession doesn’t warrant a place. And he’s 33. Liverpool rightly back their head coach. The alternative is anarchy.
‘It makes sense if Salah gets a farewell against Brighton, salute to a club legend etc, and he does a moving parting message via club media, reflecting on what the club has done for him as well as he for them, Liverpool always in his heart etc. Plays AFCON, goes to Saudi in January, good salary, good preparation for the World Cup. Not taxing.
‘Liverpool not in a strong position over a fee. How much competition amongst potential suitors will there be because of his wages and obvious breakdown in his relationship with club? But even £10m gets his reported salary back since August. And Liverpool will save £30m on the remaining 18 months of his contract. Plus the potential dividend of the new boys settling in quicker without Salah’s large shadow.
‘He has to go. But it should be done respectfully. Salah’s phenomenal deeds are in the Liverpool history books. But every chapter comes to an end.’
It’d feel so wrong for Salah to leave Liverpool on a low ebb
As ever, Winter has made his point cogently and logically; and unlike some other pundits, he hasn’t attacked Salah personally but rather outlined why he thinks Liverpool would be wise to move on from the Egyptian legend once he returns from AFCON next month.
We acknowledge that the winger was in the wrong to speak so explosively about Slot and the club in the aftermath of a poor result amid a dreadful season, and it’d be fair to say that his output and overall performances have diminished drastically from his usual world-class standards.
However, it’d feel so wrong for a player of his greatness (and of LFC’s best of all time) to go out on such a low ebb, if indeed the game against Brighton on Saturday were to be his last and if the Reds fail to pick up all three points.
We’re not ready to say goodbye to him so promptly. Even if he were to come out over the next few weeks and proclaim that he’d leave in the summer, that’d give everyone the chance to bid him the proper farewell that he richly deserves, just like Jurgen Klopp received in May 2024.
If there’s any window of opportunity for Salah and Slot to resolve their apparent differences (even partly), they should be given the scope to do so. In football, as in life, you’re never guaranteed the fairytale ending, but how we’d love for the Egyptian King to get his at Anfield whenever he does depart.
You can watch Slot’s full pre-Inter Milan press conference below, via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:
The post ‘He has to go’ – Journalist claims Brighton match on Saturday should be Salah’s last for Liverpool appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.