Mohamed Salah has hit out at Jamie Carragher, amid the ongoing uncertainty over his future at Liverpool.
Salah, 32, is one of the Reds’ all-time greatest players, with the Egyptian having scored a remarkable 232 goals in 376 games for the club since joining from Roma in 2017 for an initial £36.5million fee.
The forward has won eight trophies at Anfield and remains integral to Arne Slot‘s side as they continue to impress so far this season.
However, Salah’s contract expires in the summer and the Egyptian is yet to extend his deal, with speculation over his future currently a major talking point, with the forward regularly providing cryptic answers when questioned over his future.
In fact, earlier on Monday, Salah shared a photo of himself and Trent Alexander-Arnold deliberating over a free kick during Sunday’s game, while Virgil van Dijk can be seen in the background.
All three stars are out of contract at the end of the season, with progress yet to be made over their future and Alexander-Arnold was even the subject of a £20m bid from Real Madrid last week.
Mohamed Salah has slammed Jamie Carragher, amid the ongoing uncertainty over his future
The forward did not accompany the image with a caption, adding further intrigue.
And former Liverpool favourite Carragher was asked for his thoughts about the post.
‘Ooh, I don’t know,’ he said on Sky Sports News. ‘You know what I would say. I would say Virgil van Dijk has come out of this whole sort of situation this season as captain of the club in a higher esteem for me.
‘In the way he’s conducted himself, in the way of his performances on the pitch. In the way he’s led the team.
‘The way he was yesterday as well and he hasn’t got involved in too much around this. It’s obviously a really important time for all three players.
‘But I think rather than speak about Trent Alexander-Arnold or Mo Salah I’d probably like to pay tribute to Virgil van Dijk.
‘I think he’s come across as a real statesman. I think the way he’s handled it. He’s been asked questions and he’s not been away, he’s here to win league and he’s doing his utmost for Liverpool. And fingers crossed he signs.
‘But I think the other two could maybe look at Virgil van Dijk and take a leaf out of his book.’
Salah was quick to respond to the clip circulating on social media as the Egyptian shared the video, before he added the caption: ‘I’m starting to think you’re obsessed with me,’ accompanied by a winking face.
However, Carragher took Salah’s response in good spirits as he was quick to send a message back.
He said: ‘I’ve always been obsessed with you @MoSalah. Hopefully that obsession will continue next season,’ with the former defender adding a fingers crossed and winking face emoji.
Salah has dropped repeated hints over recent months that this season could be his last at Anfield, , although the club and player are said to be keen to agree fresh terms – and Mail Sport reported last month how the Reds have offered him a contract.
In an interview with Sky Sports on Friday, Salah even declared that ‘this is my last year’ with Liverpool as he outlined his intention to depart with the Premier League title.
Carragher and Salah’s jibes at each other is not the first time the pair have clashed during the contract saga.
Back in November, Salahshocked the football world when he publicly called out the club for a lack of progress on offering him a new deal.
The forward conducted a rare interview with Mail Sport and a small group of other reporters after scoring twice in the 3-2 victory at Southampton, where he said he was ‘more out than in’.
Addressing his contract stand-off, Salah had said:‘We are almost in December and I haven’t received any offers yet to stay in the club.
‘I’m probably more out than in.You know I have been in the club for many years.
‘There is no club like this. But in the end it is not in my hands. As I said, it is December and I haven’t received anything yet about my future.
‘I love the fans. The fans love me. In the end it is not in my hands or the fans’ hands.’
However, Carragher took umbradge with those comments and labelled the Egyptian ‘selfish’ for his comments.
Carragher had said: ‘Of course there’s been discussions. Right now, there’s obviously a big difference in valuation, how Salah and his agent value themselves, in terms of length of contract, and how Liverpool do.
‘So the reason Liverpool wouldn’t have offered a contract yet is because Mo Salah will turn it down. They’re still in talks, I’m desperate for them to meet in the middle.
‘But I must say, I am very disappointed with Mo Salah. That interview last night… Liverpool have Real Madrid in midweek and Manchester City next weekend. That’s the story for Liverpool right now.
‘And Mo Salah, we’re aware – certainly the local reporters near the club – that in seven years he’s stopped in the mixed zone twice. That’s absolutely fine.
‘But he stops for the third time away at Southampton on the back of winning Liverpool the game and putting that out.
‘If he continues to put comments out or his agent continues to put cryptic tweets out, that is selfish. That’s thinking about themselves and not the football club.’
That wasn’t the end of their war of words as Salah then hit back at Carragher when picking up the Player of the Match award after their 2-0 win over Man City in what was the first Premier League game following his comments at Southampton.
‘So who picked him?’ Van Dijk – who was standing next to Salah – had asked the the post-match interviewer after he revealed the news that the Egyptian had won the award.
The reporter told the duo that it was Neville with Van Dijk then saying that he was surprised that Carragher didn’t give it to Salah.
‘I wouldn’t be,’ Salah replied. ‘Never. He would never give it to me.’
Carragher was then asked about the comment by presenter Dave Jones, who said: ‘Mo Salah throwing down the gauntlet, Jamie?’
Carragher jokingly responded: ‘I’ll see him in the car park’ – poking fun at the incident between Roy Keane and a fan at Ipswich in November.