Wayne Rooney spoke about Mohamed Salah on his show The Wayne Rooney Show recently.
Asked whether Salah’s era has come to an end, Rooney stated on the program: “His era will be over at the end of this season.”
“Everything Salah has done for the Premier League and Liverpool has been nothing short of exceptional. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in Premier League history. Unfortunately, though, there has definitely been a decline in his form.”
“I also watched his performances at the Africa Cup of Nations. His pace and explosive power are no longer what they used to be — this is no fault of his own; it is the natural cycle every player goes through. I believe his peak years will be behind him starting this summer.”
“Everyone can see that. It was the same with Virgil van Dijk earlier this season; his poor form has continued right up until now. He has really struggled for consistency this campaign.”
Salah has scored just six goals in all competitions for Liverpool this season. Before departing for the Africa Cup of Nations, he was an unused substitute in four consecutive Premier League games. During that period, he publicly criticized Arne Slot and Liverpool’s hierarchy, claiming he had been “made a scapegoat”.
The incident has thrown his future at Liverpool into serious doubt. Despite renewed speculation linking him with a move to the Saudi Pro League, he opted to stay with the club during the January transfer window.
Since returning from international duty in Morocco, Salah has been restored to the starting lineup. He scored his first goal for Liverpool in two months last Wednesday in their Champions League clash against Qarabağ.