Keane, Wright differ on Salah’s future

Manchester United legend Roy Keane believes Liverpool must tie down Mohamed Salah to a new contract with the forward having entered the final 18 months of his contract at Anfield.

Talks over the extension are continuing to drag on, and the club have typically been keen to adhere to a strict wage structure when handing out fresh terms to players.

Salah has claimed he is not asking for 'crazy money', but the mercurial forward is though to want his salary to match his status as one of the best players in the world. 

That would see him become the top earner at the club, overtaking Virgil van Dijk, and pundit Keane believes Liverpool must do all they can to keep him.  

'He is 29 but the modern players are machines. That is no issue,' he said on ITV.

'From Liverpool's point of view it is business, they have got to try and negotiate but Salah, you have got to get him signed up, he is one of the greatest players in the world. Got to get it done. 

'If it goes into next season you really start to worry, but try to get it done and dusted.

'They might not have a choice [of it going into next season]. It is up to the player, the player is in charge. He said he is happy here and he is going to try and negotiate a better deal. 

'Sometimes… he is going to get a great deal anyway, it's not always about the money, is it about a new experience? 

'But he has said a number of times here – I know he is going to say that – he is happy here and he is loved here, but Liverpool have got to try and get him signed up. 

'You can't just let good players like that go out the door particularly on a free.'

Ian Wright, meanwhile, has admitted that Jurgen Klopp may need to start planning for life after Salah - but has described him as the 'mainstay' on Merseyside. 

He said: 'You have to do that, especially with the way Liverpool have done their business. You have to maybe get yourself ready for that outcome. It may never happen, I don't think it should happen.

'Salah is the mainstay here, we know he has got an unbelievable cast with him but Salah and the way he is scoring, the way he is playing since he has been here.

'He is another one of those signings Liverpool have made, when they made it people said "Oh, Salah?". Look at what he has turned into.

'He is 29 now, I think that the contract of course is going to be a lot of money but it is Mo Salah and what he does for this team.'

He went on to add: 'We'd have to be talking about the same money as [Erling] Haaland and [Kylian] Mbappe with what he has done, we have to be talking about that kind of money to replace him. So he has got to be signed up.”