Superstar breaks down in tears as major new transfer link ignites after Liverpool CL exit

Liverpool superstar Mo Salah was left sobbing on the Anfield pitch after seeing his side exit the Champions League to PSG on penalties after fresh new claims emerged over a move away from Merseyside, while Arne Slot and Luis Enrique both had their say on events.

Salah confidently dispatched his penalty in the shootout, though he proved the only Reds star to score as Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off great saves to deny both Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones as the French side progressed 4-1 on spot-kicks after the match handed ended in a 1-1 aggregate draw.

Salah can feel pretty aggrieved at the manner of Liverpool‘s exit. He passed up two good chances to score before Ousmane Dembele scored the only goal of the night on 12 minutes while the Egyptian also saw penalty appeals waved away, though replays showed the contact from the retreating Nuno Mendes came just outside the box.

All the same, given the 32-year-old falls out of contract at Liverpool on June 30 and with negotiations over an extension yet to see an agreement reached, there remains a growing fear that Salah will exit Anfield this summer.

Having broken down in tears after the game, some have taken that as another telling indication that a parting of ways is very much on the cards this summer.

And in the build-up to the game, stunning new reports from Spain claim that Liverpool have ‘failed to convince the Egyptian’ to sign a new deal and the forward ‘already has a new destination’ and ‘will leave’ Anfield this summer.

Expanding on that, Fichajes insists that Salah is ‘going to change teams as soon as the current season ends and his new destination has already been agreed’ with PSG ‘closely following the striker’s situation for some time’.

Their report adds that the French side ‘have already convinced Salah to join their star project in Ligue 1’ with the French giants ‘looking for a new offensive leader’ after the departure of Kylian Mbappe last summer.

And it’s claimed that Salah ‘would fit perfectly into Luis Enrique’s plans and would make a sensational trident alongside Osmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola’.

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Arne Slot reacts to exit claims; PSG boss sends message after game

Salah himself did not provide an update on his future after the game, but did say in an interview with Steve McManaman on TNT Sports earlier this month: “I want fans to remember that I gave it all to the fans, I gave it all to the city. I was here, I wasn’t lazy, I just enjoyed my football and gave it my all.

“I think that’s what the city is about – they give you love and you have a connection with them because you give your all. I just want them to remember that I was here for eight years and I gave it all.”

When asked again by McManaman if there had been any progress on a new contract at Liverpool, Salah added: “In a very polite way [no].”

Discussing Salah’s tears and whether that will be his last game in Europe for Liverpool, Slot sent a simple message.

“That is the last thing I think about!” Slot said. “It is creative to come up with the contract situation.

“It is hard, last season we weren’t in the Champions League. Liverpool showed ourselves in this competition as we want to.”

PSG coach Luis Enrique was also in no mood to discuss the links, instead sending Liverpool a classy message after his side had edged through at Anfield.

“Both of the teams deserve to go to the next phase,” Enrique told Amazon Prime Video.

“They play better than us here, but I think my team at Anfield, in a special stadium, showed great personality and character. We tried to play our best, but it was difficult as they’re so intense. Both teams deserve to qualify.

“The character and personality, even when we shoot at the penalty shootout, they showed great character. I think it shows clearly the team we are.”

Enrique added: “When the draw told us about the match against Liverpool and PSG. Both managers thought the same – it’s one of the best matches you can watch in Europe. I think both teams were great.

“It is not about consistency, you have to be great in specific moments. We suffered a lot in Paris, but football is in that way. Unfair at times. Today we were lucky, they hit the post a few times.

“Gigi [Donnarumma] was like Alisson in the first match. We are happy and confident to go to the next phase.”

Liverpool transfer latest: Eight-man clearout; 159-goal striker linked

Meanwhile, Salah might not be the only Liverpool player destined to leave Merseyside this summer, with a report revealing a ruthless Slot is ready to add five names to an eight-man list of expected departures at the end of the season.

The Dutchman has spent his first year analysing the players he inherited from Jurgen Klopp, but is now ready to wield the axe and shape the squad in his way – and the eight-man clearout will be just the start.

One of those potentially also leaving is Darwin Nunez and now Sky Sports Switzerland have shed more light on the Uruguayan’s future, revealing he is ready to quit Anfield for a mind-boggling reason.

His potential exit could open up a big space in attack and now reports from Portugal claim the Reds have thrust themselves into the running to sign Viktor Gyokeres, with the striker’s thoughts on a move – and why he is now very happy to reject Manchester United – coming to light.

HAVE YOUR SAY: What should Mo Salah do about his future?

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