Mohamed Salah remains insistent he's not close to a new Liverpool contract, dashing Michael Owen’s belief in a swift renewal.
Under the guidance of revelation Arne Slot, the Reds have stormed into a notable eight-point lead at the summit of England’s top flight. They're nine ahead of challengers Arsenal with a game in hand on second-placed Nottingham Forest.
Yet, though such results have spread positivity around Anfield, the underlying expiration of three first-team stars' contracts linger, with Salah - alongside team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold - yet to renew deals that are up in 2025.
As Liverpool sauntered to a 5-0 win away at West Ham, former striker Owen likely felt sheepish after his recent assured statement - that Salah will extend his stay on Merseyside - was seemingly shut down by the Egyptian.
Speaking after the victory against the Hammers, in which he contributed a goal and two assists, the 32-year-old denied any suggestions that a deal was close to being reached. "No, we are far away from that [contract], and I don't want to put anything in the media," Salah told Sky Sports when asked about the possibility of a renewal.
"The only thing on my mind is I want Liverpool to win the league, and I want to be part of that. I will do my best for the team to win the trophy. There are a few other teams catching up with us, and we need to stay focused and humble and go again."
This post-match admission came just as Owen’s opinion on Salah re-signing was made apparent, with the former striker adamant that Liverpool would hang on to their star forward.
"At some point it will just happen," Owen told the Liverpool Echo regarding Salah’s renewal. "But people won't be getting regular updates from the club. These things tend to happen in private and with three big players it's getting a lot of traction.
"He'll keep getting asked and he'll keep batting it off. I've said a few times, I'm still confident Mohamed Salah will sign. I don't see where else he'd go.
"If he was that against signing, he'd have never come out and made a fuss about it. That sounds like a person who wants to get it done and is a bit agitated."
Though Salah himself is staying tight-lipped, another Premier League icon also believes that he will pen a new Reds contract in January - and that his staying will be the biggest deal of the window.
"Mohamed Salah could be the biggest signing of the January window," former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Sport. "You look at his fitness, the stats, the levels of performance he is hitting; players can go on a lot longer now. He plays every game when he is fit, only rotated if needed. I would be amazed if he doesn't sign a new contract [at Liverpool]."