Liverpool owners 'cautious' about handing 32-year-old star a new contract

Liverpool's owners are reportedly 'cautious' about handing star attacker Mohamed Salah a contract extension.

Speculation over the 32-year-old's long-term future at Anfield has been rife for some time, with the Egyptian having now entered the final year of his contract.

Salah has earned legendary status during his hugely successful seven-year stay on the red side of Merseyside, scoring 212 goals and providing 90 assists in 350 appearances as well as winning a total of seven trophies.

The attacker's form dipped towards the end of last season, netting just three times in 11 games, and a public spat with former boss Jurgen Klopp on the touchline at West Ham United in April led to speculation that Liverpool's No.11 could depart this summer.

Salah continues to be linked with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia, with the nation's PIF-owned clubs said to have identified Liverpool's £100m-rated star as a primary target.

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Doubts emerge over Salah contract extension?

Salah is one of three senior Liverpool players along with captain Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold who is out of contract in the summer of 2025.

According to The Athletic, Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group - led by John W Henry - are 'cautious' about giving lucrative extensions to players in their thirties, raising doubts about the futures of both Salah and 33-year-old Van Dijk.

While the Reds have allegedly planned to initiate contacts talks with Van Dijk at the end of this year, there has been 'no hint of irritation' from Salah's camp over entering the last year of his contract.

It has been suggested that it may suit Salah to wait until the latter stages of the 2024-25 season before negotiating a potential contract extension with Liverpool to allow him more time to consider his options, knowing that he can leave for free this summer.

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Slot: 'Salah still has many more years ahead of him'

Amidst speculation over a possible exit, Salah has made a positive impression under new head coach Arne Slot, who believes that the Egyptian can continue playing at the highest level for "many more years".

"I see what he does to keep his body as it is to be ready to play every game, so I think there are many more years inside of him to play," Slot told reporters after Liverpool's 2-0 Premier League win at Ipswich Town on Saturday.

Salah set up the opening goal in that contest for Diogo Jota midway through the second half, before scoring Liverpool's second to seal maximum points in their opening fixture of the new campaign.

"Mo does everything right. He's a model professional and someone everyone looks up to," teammate Andrew Robertson said after the match. "He leaves no stone unturned and that's why he's still in incredible shape at the age he's at. Long may that continue.

"Hopefully he keeps playing the way he did against Ipswich. He's started the season really well. If our main man is playing like that, then it's obviously going to help the team. Hopefully, it's the first of many goals for us this season."

Salah, who has scored over 20 goals in each of the last seven seasons for Liverpool, remains an integral first-team figure and is expected to start for the Reds in their first home match of the new season against Brentford on Sunday.