JAMIE REDKNAPP PREDICTS JANUARY MOHAMED SALAH EXIT FROM ANFIELD
Arne Slot defends his decision to bench Mohamed Salah, who remains professional. But the star's performance dip fuels speculation about his long-term future.
Liverpool might lose Mohamed Salah in January because his relationship with the club is at a breaking point, according to Jamie Redknapp.
Redknapp, a former Anfield player, made this prediction after Salah was left out of Arne Slot's starting lineup for the second game in a row against Sunderland. Salah entered as a substitute in the second half but couldn't stop the Reds from drawing 1-1 with Sunderland.
Redknapp said he'd be amazed if Salah finishes his Liverpool contract, which ends in 2027, and suggested he might leave in January.
Last season, Salah was key in Liverpool's title win, scoring 29 goals and making 18 assists in 38 league games. This season, though, his performance seems to have dropped, like many of his teammates, putting more pressure on Slot during a bad run of results.
Redknapp told Sky Sports he is worried that Salah and Liverpool are close to a bitter split.
"He's a Premier League legend, a Liverpool icon, so I don't think this will end well," he said. It'll be a tough situation now, because the manager has someone so talented, so important to the team, in the changing room and in how they act and play in practice.
He doesn't want to sit on the bench; he didn't sign this contract to end his career. He wants to play regularly, every week.
I'd be shocked if he finishes the last two years, or a year and a half, of his contract. I don't think this helps at all. Nothing in football would surprise me, whether it's in January or in the summer.
If the right club comes along... a lot will depend on him. He's earned that. If he says, 'I'm not going to start for you, and I'm not going to stick around. I'll go wherever.' I still think he'll want to play in Europe.
The first thing everyone will say is that he'll go to Saudi Arabia—he's a legend there—or to the US, but this is a breaking point in the relationship.
He'll feel let down and maybe blamed for what's happening. The team is winning without him, and those stats are pretty good when he doesn't play.
No one is vital, time passes, and it's going to be hard now.
Slot said earlier that Salah was unhappy about being benched and shared his reaction.
Before the match, he said, "We didn't talk much, not this time and not before West Ham." We talked a lot after the Frankfurt game, but not as much now.
He's reacting like a top player should. He trained hard and well the day after the West Ham game and again yesterday. He's positive with his teammates.
He's an example when he plays and when he doesn't.
WHY DID JEREMY JACQUET SNUB CHELSEA FOR LIVERPOOL? THE SECRET VIRGIL CONNECTION
Liverpool secure Jeremy Jacquet in a £60m Deadline Day coup. The 20-year-old chose Anfield over Chelsea for a summer move.
Liverpool turned heads on Transfer Deadline Day when Arne Slot jumped into the mix and snapped up one of Europe’s brightest young talents.
The Reds dropped £55 million up front—plus another potential £5 million in add-ons—to bring in Jeremy Jacquet. He’ll link up with his new teammates this summer. Chelsea hovered around the deal too, but Jacquet chose Liverpool over the Blues.
French football pundit Julian Laurens isn’t shy about his excitement. He told Sky Sports, “He’s the real deal. Sure, he’s only 20. He hasn’t played for France yet, and you won’t find him in the Champions League or Europa League. But he’s already shown so much. Last season, Rennes brought him back from a second division loan, and this year, playing under Habib Beye, he’s just kept improving. You can’t miss with this kid. He’s going to be special.
“He reminds me of when William Saliba broke through at Saint-Etienne, or even Wesley Fofana. The point is, if you really value untapped talent, you’re willing to pay big. And Liverpool just did—because Jacquet’s that promising.”
Jacquet grew up in Bondy, the same Paris suburb that produced Kylian Mbappe, William Saliba, and Randal Kolo Muani. It’s up in Seine-Saint-Denis, northeast of central Paris.
His football education, though, happened at Rennes out in Brittany. He came up through their academy, playing alongside guys like Desire Doue—who won the Champions League with PSG—and Tottenham’s Mathys Tel.
Back then, Jacquet idolised Paul Pogba, but once they moved him to centre-back, he started looking up to Virgil van Dijk.
He made his first-team debut for Rennes in January 2024, then went on loan to Clermont Foot 63, who were fighting relegation in Ligue 1. Even after they went down, Rennes kept him out on loan because he did so well with the French U19 squad.
But in February 2025, Rennes called him back, and he’s been a regular for Habib Beye ever since.
Asked about his playing style, Jacquet said, “I’m calm on the ball—maybe I look a little nonchalant, but I’m always focused. What makes me stand out is playing out from the back and breaking lines with the right pass.”
JEREMY JACQUET UPDATE: FABRIZIO ROMANO CONFIRMS LIVERPOOL INTEREST BUT RENNES DEMAND CLUB-RECORD FEE
Liverpool is battling Chelsea and Bayern Munich for Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet as Arne Slot faces a mounting injury crisis.
Liverpool really wants to sign Jeremy Jacquet this month, but with Chelsea, Man United, and Arsenal also circling, it looks like they’ll have to wait until summer.
They just locked in a spot in the Champions League last 16 after cruising past Qarabag FK, so things are looking good on that front. This season, they’ve already faced a couple of those big clubs—snatching a last-gasp win over Atletico thanks to Van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header, but coming up short with a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in Turkey.
On Wednesday, Ryan Gravenberch ended up playing centre-back because Joe Gomez is out injured, and Ibrahima Konate is still away after his father passed away. They're really stretched at the back, especially with Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni both dealing with long-term injuries. The club decided not to go after Marc Guehi this month, which let Manchester City snap him up for under £30 million.
Now, Liverpool is eyeing Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet. L’Equipe reported in January that Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, and Liverpool all want him. Fabrizio Romano gave an update, saying Liverpool would love to get the deal done now, but Rennes just don’t want to sell until summer. So, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern are all talking to Rennes and Jacquet’s people, but for now, it’s a waiting game.
With all these injuries piling up, people are wondering if Liverpool might try to bring in someone before the window closes. Arne Slot responded, saying the club always tries to make smart decisions, thinking about both the short and long term. That’s why they focus on signing young talent who can still develop—sometimes you just have to be patient and trust the process.
He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t have a massive squad packed with four right-backs, a dozen midfielders, or a handful of strikers. They need to be clever about their moves, balancing immediate needs with future plans.
As for the latest on injuries, Slot said they’ll see how Jeremie Frimpong is doing—maybe he won’t be fit for Saturday, but he could be ready soon after. With just one game a week coming up, injuries should ease up a bit, but you never know with football.