Mohamed Salah could be like Philippe Coutinho or Georginio Wijnaldum if he leaves Liverpool, says Jamie Carragher

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Mohamed Salah could be like Philippe Coutinho or Georginio Wijnaldum if he leaves Liverpool, says Jamie Carragher

May 18, 2022

Jamie Carragher has urged Mohamed Salah to heed the lessons of Philippe Coutinho and Georginio Wijnaldum as he weighs up his Liverpool future.

The Egyptian, who missed Liverpool's 2-1 win over Southampton on Tuesday due to a minor injury, has a year remaining on his current contract and is yet to reach an agreement over an extension despite protracted negotiations with the club.

Carragher believes staying at Liverpool represents Salah's best option and says a departure could see his career go the same way as former team-mates such as Coutinho and Wijnaldum.

Coutinho struggled to recapture his best form after his £146m move to Barcelona in 2018 while Wijnaldum has been unable to hold down a place at Paris Saint-Germain having run down his Liverpool contract and left on a free transfer last summer.

"Obviously I'm desperate for Mo Salah to sign and I think he should sign," said Carragher after Tuesday's game at St Mary's Stadium.

"Jurgen Klopp has turned good players into great players, and Mo Salah was one of them. He was a very good player, now he's become a superstar.

"Gini Wijnaldum was one of them. Coutinho was one of them. Emre Can was another one, who wasn't quite at that level.

"But these are three players who maybe thought they deserved more off Liverpool in terms of wages. They made a move and it's never been the same for them.

"I think that's a lesson for Mo Salah going forward.

"Not that he's not a great player, but this suits him. The Premier League suits him, Jurgen Klopp suits him, this club suits him. And this is where he's been a superstar, nowhere else before.

"He might do it somewhere else, but I think he should remember about two or three of those players who have left Liverpool thinking the grass is greener on the other side, maybe wages-wise."

Redknapp: Salah is replaceable, Van Dijk isn't

Jamie Redknapp believes Liverpool face a dilemma with Salah and insists the club must factor in the knock-on effects of raising his salary on the rest of the squad.

The Sky Sports pundit feels Virgil van Dijk should be the club's top earner as the centre-back is more important to Klopp's side than Salah, who could be replaced.

"One thing I learnt from being at this club, and I don't think a lot has changed since then, is that when you're doing well, they will look after you," said Redknapp.

"They want to reward you. They don't waste time like that.

"I'm sure Mo Salah's been offered a vast amount of money, but sometimes you have to think: 'Well if we give him that much, what will Virgil van Dijk want?'

"Virgil van Dijk for me is the most important player at the club. I wouldn't give anyone more money than him. That's how I see it.

"I know strikers should get more, in terms of that's always been the way it is, but whatever Virgil gets, he should be on the most.

"They will find another Mo Salah. You can't find another Virgil van Dijk right now.

"Liverpool could theoretically, if they lost him, go and get someone to replace Salah. His goals, his numbers, are unbelievable, but there will always be another great striker that comes to this club.

"They've had so many in the past, they'll have so many in the future."