Salah learns senior stars' 'opinion' on his FSG revelation and 'huge' demands

Mo Salah is said to have the backing of senior football stars amid his contract standoff with Liverpool.

The Egyptian icon, 32, has underlined his importance to Reds with a wonderful start to the season, but his long-term future at Anfield remains mired in uncertainty, with his contract due to expire in the summer. Salah has been intriguingly open about the situation.

Speaking after last weekend’s 3-2 win at Southampton, he revealed he was yet to receive an offer to stay from owners FSG and that he was “probably more out than in”. Contract discussions have been taking place amid suggestions Salah’s representatives have made "huge" demands.

Salah’s latest contract declaration has raised eyebrows in some quarters, with Jamie Carragher calling the timing “selfish”. However, according to The Independent, Salah’s position is “respected” by senior players, who understand his desire to use his leverage and extract as much as possible from potentially the final contract of his career.

Salah is one of the three key Liverpool players who will soon be heading into the last six months of their deals, with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold also out of contract in the summer. All three will be free to speak to overseas clubs in January if they do not sign an extension before then.

Asked if he was disappointed not to have received an offer from Liverpool, Salah added: “Of course, yeah. I love the fans. The fans love me. In the end it is not in my hands or the fans’ hands. Let’s wait and see.

“I’m not going to retire soon so I’m just playing, focusing on the season and I’m trying to win the Premier League and hopefully the Champions League as well. I’m disappointed but we will see.”

Liverpool boss Arne Slot insists the Salah situation is not a distraction as the Reds sit eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.

“The only thing I can say is that if I look at my line-ups Mo is more in than out,” said the Dutchman ahead of Sunday’s showdown with champions Manchester City.

“I don’t think it distracts Mo at all, maybe it even brings the best out of him if you look at his performances until now. Like I’ve said a few times already, my focus is the next game and another big game is coming up and it just keeps on going.”