Salah Says He Cannot Be ‘Selfish’ to Discuss His Liverpool Contract Situation

05 April 2022, Portugal, Lisbon: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah greets manager Jurgen Klopp as he leaves the field of play during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg match between Benfica and Liverpool at the Estadio da Luz. (dpa)
05 April 2022, Portugal, Lisbon: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah greets manager Jurgen Klopp as he leaves the field of play during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg match between Benfica and Liverpool at the Estadio da Luz. (dpa)
TT
20

Salah Says He Cannot Be ‘Selfish’ to Discuss His Liverpool Contract Situation

05 April 2022, Portugal, Lisbon: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah greets manager Jurgen Klopp as he leaves the field of play during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg match between Benfica and Liverpool at the Estadio da Luz. (dpa)
05 April 2022, Portugal, Lisbon: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah greets manager Jurgen Klopp as he leaves the field of play during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg match between Benfica and Liverpool at the Estadio da Luz. (dpa)

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah said he cannot be "selfish" and discuss his contract situation at Liverpool, with the Premier League club focused on winning trophies.

Liverpool are second in the league on 72 points, one point below leaders Manchester City. The two teams are due to meet in Sunday's match that could potentially decide the fate of the title race with eight rounds left.

The Merseyside club won the League Cup in February and are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, having also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup to remain on track for an unprecedented haul of four trophies this season.

Salah's contract expires in June 2023 and negotiations over a new deal have been going on for a long time. British media reported the Egypt international is close to agreeing a deal with the club to keep him until the end of his career.

"I can't be selfish and talk about my situation," Salah told Sky Sports. "We are in the most important period for the team so I have to just talk about the team, focus on what is coming with the team and that is the most important thing."

Asked if he was confident a new contract would be sorted out, Salah said: "I can't say yes, I can't say no but I have said many times before about what I want.

"But again, I can't go deep into my contract now because it is a really sensitive situation.

"The team need to win and I can't be just going into the news and just talking about my contract. I just focus with the team, and that is it."

Salah, a prolific forward and key player for Liverpool, has scored more than 150 goals for the club since joining from AS Roma in 2017.



Mastantuono’s Move to Real Madrid Was Premature, Says River Boss Gallardo

Franco Mastantuono #30 of CA River Plate looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between CA River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on June 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. )Getty Images/AFP)
Franco Mastantuono #30 of CA River Plate looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between CA River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on June 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. )Getty Images/AFP)
TT
20

Mastantuono’s Move to Real Madrid Was Premature, Says River Boss Gallardo

Franco Mastantuono #30 of CA River Plate looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between CA River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on June 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. )Getty Images/AFP)
Franco Mastantuono #30 of CA River Plate looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between CA River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on June 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. )Getty Images/AFP)

Franco Mastantuono's transfer to Real Madrid came too soon, while the 17-year-old was still developing and pivotal to River Plate's future, said coach Marcelo Gallardo ahead of the Argentine team's Club World Cup match against Monterrey.

Gallardo acknowledged Mastantuono's departure will leave a void in his squad after the Spanish giants completed a deal worth around $45 million with River for the teenager earlier this month.

For the Argentine manager, the midfielder still needed more time to grow at the club, but he acknowledged the early transfer as an understandable part of modern football.

"It's natural, we train players for the world. Everything is happening earlier, young players are leaving faster, and I understand that those are the rules of the game," Gallardo told ESPN on Friday.

"Our sporting project for the year was with him. We have to readjust, because there are players who, by their nature, are difficult to replace.

"We knew that Mastantuono was going to leave at some point, but fans don't enjoy it that way. The market dictates the timing."

Gallardo said he's urging Mastantuono to stay focused on the tournament despite the noise around his move.

"All I want is for him to play naturally, to try to forget about everything that's going on, which is very difficult," he said.

"I don't talk to him about where he's going to live or anything like that. I want him to play, which is what he knows how to do."

River began their Club World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, a result Gallardo described as key to easing early nerves.

"We are happy to be able to be in a competition like this, a new one," he said. "I'm excited about how it's going, it was essential to start with a win and get over the nerves.

"Now we're preparing for the match in Monterrey, which is a different level of difficulty."

Following Saturday's game against the Mexican team in Pasadena, River will face Champions League runners-up Inter Milan on Wednesday.