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.
ALISSON "OPEN" TO LIVERPOOL EXIT AS JUVENTUS PREPARE MASSIVE SWAP DEAL OFFER
With Alisson Becker open to a Juventus move, Liverpool is scouring the market for a replacement ahead of a major summer rebuild.
Liverpool isn’t just sitting around; it’s actively searching for someone to take Alisson Becker’s spot since Juventus looks serious about making a bid for their veteran keeper. Even though Alisson’s got a year left on his deal after the club triggered an extension back in March, he might leave this summer.
He’s been Liverpool’s go-to guy in goal since he arrived from Roma in 2018; he’s played 332 games, cost £67 million, and for years, he was untouchable. But injuries have piled up during the 2025/26 season, and it’s starting to look like his time at Anfield could be coming to an end.
Juventus are now right in the mix. Apparently, Alisson isn’t against the idea of leaving Liverpool, and Juventus could even throw their own goalkeeper, Michele Di Gregorio, into the deal for the Brazilian.
Juve are ready to offer Alisson a contract running through the summer of 2028, with an extra year as an option. Sky Sports says Liverpool already knows what’s happening and is getting their ducks in a row before a massive transfer window.
The club’s facing a big summer. Salah and Robertson are going, and now they might need a new keeper too. Giorgi Mamardashvili has stepped up when Alisson was out, playing 18 games across all competitions, but he’s injured himself, leaving Slot with just Freddie Woodman as his only fit option.
Recently, Slot was asked if losing Alisson at the same time as Robertson and Salah would be too much. He said, “The club makes decisions it thinks are right. If this happens, there's a reason behind it, maybe another good reason why we did what we did.”
He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t make transfers on a whim. Decisions are thought through, with the club’s interests always at heart.
Regarding keeping Alisson for his experience, Slot admitted that’s one argument, but there are others and, ultimately, the club will decide what’s best. Alisson’s contract still has a year left.
When pressed about Juventus, Slot replied, “Ali’s main focus is clear; he wants to get back in goal for Liverpool as soon as possible and then play for Brazil. That’s his short- and mid-term future.”
LIVERPOOL WARNED TO OFFER CURTIS JONES NEW CONTRACT BEFORE 14-MONTH DEADLINE
Analysis: Curtis Jones’ elite passing stats and why Jermaine Pennant believes Liverpool cannot afford to lose the versatile midfielder.
Liverpool really needs to sort out a new contract for Curtis Jones before they make the same mistake it did with Luis Diaz. That’s what the Inside Liverpool panel thinks, especially now that Diaz is lighting up Bayern Munich and making Liverpool’s transfer moves look pretty questionable.
Bayern’s front three, with Diaz in the mix, have racked up 100 goals across all competitions this season – the first time any non-Spanish team has done that. Diaz himself has bagged 26 goals in 46 matches and just scored against PSG in the Champions League semi-final.
Looking back, Liverpool probably wish they hadn’t let Diaz walk for £65 million last summer. Since then, fans at Anfield haven’t seen anyone who brings what he did: that relentless pressing, always looming as a threat on the counter. Sure, they’ve brought in Rio Ngumoha, a teenager, just 17, but Arne Slot, the coach, knows you can’t just expect him to fill those shoes right away.
On talkSPORT’s Inside Liverpool, Jermaine Pennant, who has played for the club, said that Liverpool has to bring in another proven attacker over the summer. Pennant’s point: Diaz was great whether he played in the middle or on the left, and Liverpool needs someone with that kind of flexibility. You don’t want to sign a backup like Hugo Ekitike and then end up overcrowding with too many strikers when the main guy returns.
Now, Jones could end up in the same boat this summer. There’s a lot of uncertainty around his future, and when you look at the numbers, he’s only got 14 months left on his contract. Several clubs in England and Europe are watching, and he’s only started 15 games for Liverpool this season.
Even though he hasn’t played much, Jones is impressing; he’s second only to Rodri in midfielder passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He’s also ranked second behind Moises Caicedo for passing accuracy, and right behind Rayan Cherki for carries. Pennant said the club can’t afford to let him go: Jones is so versatile; you can play him anywhere in midfield or even right back. He knows the club, loves it, and helps connect the squad.
Jones has been one of the top performers recently. Pennant thinks Liverpool should offer him a new deal, especially since the squad is thinning out and they’ve already lost Trent Alexander-Arnold. In the end, it’s up to Jones if he wants to stay or move for more game time, but Liverpool has to make the offer while they still can.
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