Wayne Rooney believes Mohamed Salah’s spell at the very top with Liverpool is drawing to a close, pointing to the Egyptian star’s recent form and displays at the Africa Cup of Nations as evidence.
Speaking on “The Wayne Rooney Show”, the Manchester United legend said he feels Salah is no longer at his explosive best after almost nine years of being Liverpool’s attacking talisman and climbing to third on the club’s all-time scoring list with 251 goals.
Rooney noted that Salah showed no signs of slowing during last season’s title-winning campaign but argued that things have changed since the winger signed a new two-year deal in April.
He highlighted a noticeable dip this term, which even led Arne Slot to drop Salah from the starting XI in November. “I think it will end at the end of the season,” Rooney said, adding that Salah remains one of the greatest players to grace the Premier League but that his physical sharpness has declined.
Rooney also compared Salah’s trajectory to Virgil van Dijk’s recent struggles, suggesting Liverpool’s core may be past its peak despite their past heroics.
