Arsene Wenger has moved to warn Liverpool that signing Mohamed Salah up to a new bumper contract could create a major problem within the squad.
The Mirror has reported that Salah has now decided to sign a new contract at Anfield, following months upon months of uncertainty.
The 29-year-old’s existing deal at Liverpool expires in the summer of 2023 and with the former Chelsea attacker being one of the world’s finest players, obviously keeping him on Merseyside is the priority.
If the Reds do keep him, he’ll be their highest-paid footballer by a distance.
And with Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in the exact same position, out of contract in 2023, the former Arsenal manager believes that signing up Salah to a bumper deal will create a problem for Jurgen Klopp.
He told BeIN Sport when asked about Salah signing a new deal: “It sorts one problem out and creates another. You are sometimes in this position – you say I have to do the maximum to keep this player, knowing that other players are not far from him. But you have not enough money anymore to satisfy [the other players] because you have spent too much on this one.”
Is Wenger right?
Well, yes.
The likes of Mane and Firmino might feel a little envious of Salah’s new pay packet when it comes.
However, this is an essential decision for Liverpool.
They cannot allow Salah to leave Anfield on a free just to avoid hurting Firmino and Mane’s feelings.
Besides, Klopp already has long-term replacements for those two in the form of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, but nobody in or outside of Liverpool can replace Salah in terms of importance.
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