Mohamed Salah has dispelled fears that the Champions League final could be his last match for Liverpool, insisting he will not leave this summer.
Liverpool’s top scorer has expired in 2023 and negotiations to extend him to make him the highest paid player in the club’s history have dragged on for months without a decision. The Egyptian national is linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain or Saturday’s rival Real Madrid if Liverpool decide to take money this summer for a player who can leave free after 12 months.
However, the 29-year-old said he would not go anywhere before the deal expired, although he declined to say whether an extension was planned.
Speaking on the final media day of the Champions League in Liverpool, Salah said: “I don’t think I’m focusing on the contract at all at the moment. I don’t want to be selfish. Two months ago I said that now it’s all about the team. This is a really important week for us, so I’m focused on the team.
“I want to win the Champions League again. I want to see Hendo [Jordan Henderson] again with the trophy and hope to give it to me after that. I’m just focused on the team and I don’t want to talk about my contract, but I’m definitely staying next season. “
Sadio Mane is another Liverpool striker approaching the last 12 months of his contract and is on Bayern Munich’s list of potential replacements if Robert Lewandowski leaves this summer, as expected. Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, wants to keep Manet and Salah, but the Senegalese international wants to wait until Saturday’s final in Paris before announcing his decision.
“Whether I stay or not, I will say it after the Champions League,” said Manet.
Jürgen Klopp remains calm about the contract negotiations and believes that the outcome of the Champions League final will not affect the decisions of the players. The Liverpool manager said: “No, not at all. We are negotiating with all the players, but now is not the time to talk about them. There is simply no time. We play every three days. Players have this idea, we have this idea and sometimes they match. But we’ve known each other for a long time. “
Fabinho said: “I’m ready” after missing Liverpool’s last three games with a hamstring injury. Photo: Peter Powell / EPA
Liverpool may have a full squad on Saturday, although Thiago Alcantara got an Achilles problem in the Premier League final against the Wolves. The midfielder did not participate in open training, but Klopp said that Tiago remains in the dispute.
“Good chance,” he said of Tiago’s prospects. “He will train this afternoon, do some things this morning. He was not scheduled to do this session with the players and at the moment it seems that he may be part of training tomorrow. That would be quite useful, obviously. This is surprisingly good news.
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“After the match I was not positive, but tonight we have already received news that it does not look so bad. We will see. We just have to make sure we do the right thing at the right time and we will try. ”
Fabinho resumed training after missing the last three games due to a hamstring injury. “I’m ready,” he said when asked about the final. Virgil van Dyke, who has not played since the FA Cup final, and Joe Gomez, who injured his ankle in the penultimate game of the league season in Southampton, are also back in full training.
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