Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen believes Mohamed Salah is eager to remain at Anfield but stresses that the club must be willing to adjust its contract policies to offer him a suitable extension.
The Egyptian forward and the Reds have been in a contract standoff since midway through the season, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the campaign.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, the 32-year-old has delivered an outstanding season, recording 32 goals and 22 assists across 43 matches in all competitions.
Speaking to *talkSPORT*, Owen emphasized the need to recognize Salah’s exceptional fitness and professionalism when negotiating new terms.
He further argued that keeping Salah would be more cost-effective than finding a suitable replacement.
“Mo Salah’s an interesting one. I think Mo Salah wants to stay, in fact I’m pretty sure he wants to stay,” Owen said.
“I think Liverpool are going to have to bend the rules slightly, they might say, ‘Oh right, only two years for players of this age.’
“But he’s no normal player, he’s as fit as a flea, he’s dedicated, he lives in the gym, he’s so professional. You can’t tell me that he’s not going to be at the same level in three, four years.
“I mean, he’s just unbelievable, so I would bend the rules, I would give him the contract, the length of contract.
“I’m also not that type of person, a fan that says, ‘Just give him what he wants, he’s brilliant, we’ll win the league with him.’ No, because you can’t put your club at risk, but I don’t think it’s got to that stage.
“To replace him, it’s going to cost an awful lot more, you’re not going to pay a transfer fee for him.
“So I would do whatever it takes to keep him, and I think he wants to stay, but sources tell me that they’re still quite a way apart.”
