Luis Diaz has made an emotional plea for Mohamed Salah to continue his illustrious career at Liverpool beyond the upcoming summer. The revered Anfield icon is in the twilight of his current deal and has hinted that this campaign could be his swansong on Merseyside.
Despite a dazzling performance in Liverpool's 3-0 triumph over Manchester United on Sunday, Salah disclosed that there have been no discussions with the club regarding a fresh contract.
At 32, Salah, who has been associated with a switch to the Saudi Pro League, remains in peak form and is expected by some to play well into his late thirties, a sentiment echoed by teammate Diaz, who stressed the enormity of the task in finding a replacement for the Egyptian superstar.
Speaking to Telemundo, Diaz expressed his concerns: "It would be hard for us, it would be hard for Liverpool. It's going to hurt us a lot. He still has a year to think about it, it's not easy. He always gives his very best.
"He has done it from the start. It would be very hard to lose a key player like him. It's his decision and we respect that, but I hope he doesn't leave."
Salah, who joined the Reds from Roma in 2017, shared his sentiments with Sky Sports after the Old Trafford fixture, saying: "I was coming to the game, I was saying, 'look, it could be the last time'."
He further revealed: "Nobody in the club talked to me yet about contracts so I was just like, 'OK, I play my last season and see at the end of the season'. I feel I am free to play football we will see what happens next year."
Despite no discussions yet regarding a new deal for Salah, it's reported that Liverpool are looking to initiate talks with the aim of extending his contract into next season at least, when he will be 33. The delay in negotiations is believed to be due to the club allowing new manager Arne Slot time to settle in.
However, given the impressive start under the Dutchman and with the first international break of the season now underway, there's an opportunity for more long-term planning. Negotiations with Salah could commence within the coming weeks.
