Huge transfer touted as biggest reason for Liverpool sale is revealed by two sources

Liverpool are once again being reported to be strongly considering the departure of Mo Salah in 2026, one year before his contract expires – though a Manchester United legend has hit out at Reds supporters calling time on the Egyptian’s hugely successful Anfield spell.

The Reds paid Roma a bargain £36.9m for Salah back in summer 2017 – a transfer fee he has paid back many times over after writing himself into Liverpool folklore. Now in his ninth season on Merseyside, the 33-year-old has blasted his way up to third on the club’s all-time top scorers list and having played a major role in one of the most successful periods in their illustrious history.

Salah committed to the biggest contract in Liverpool‘s history in April of this year, with the player now pocketing £400,000 a week – a figure he seemed worthy of off the back of his best season in the club’s colours in the 2024/25 campaign where he played a part in an astonishing 57 goals (34 scored, 23 assists) from 52 appearances.

However, there has been a noticeable drop-off since inking that new deal and his tally of five goals and three assists from 15 games this season, may hint that his very best days are now behind him.

Off the back of that, reporter Graeme Bailey revealed last month that we’re now in the Salah ‘endgame’ at Anfield, with the transfer journalist touting that a 2026 exit for a player who still has money-spinning interest in his services from Saudi Arabia, having explained why a lucrative offer for the player next summer could prove too good for Liverpool to refuse.

Now, football financial advisor Stefan Borson has also explained his reasons why a huge Salah sale could be on the cards, pointing to the player’s declining standards due to his advancing years.

“Clearly there’ll be interest at the end of the season in him, Borson told Football Insider.

“It does [a loss of form] unfortunately happen with older players; they can look fantastic and then pretty much fall off a cliff. A lot of older players talk about it happening in real time. Their bodies just can’t do what they want them to do.

“I mean, it doesn’t look like it should happen with Mo Salah, just because of his physical shape, which is obviously exceptional, and he’s not really had major injuries.

“So, he doesn’t look like the kind of guy that will have had those sorts of issues, but we know that is what happens sometimes. Maybe that’s just what’s going to happen this season. He’s just going to have one of those older player collapses and can’t perform to his historic level.

“Then obviously Liverpool ideally would look to move him on for a massive fee at the end of the season. He would presumably want to take it.”

IN-DEPTH 🔴 Eight reasons why Mo Salah’s levels have dropped and should Liverpool consider brutal sale?

How badly have Salah’s standards dropped since signing new deal?

Salah’s impressive record for Liverpool now reads 250 goals in 416 games, placing him third on the club’s all-time top scorers list and having an overall record of a goal contribution every 1.31 appearances.

However, since inking that new deal on April 11, Salah’s form has noticeably dropped off, with just seven and four assists recorded since – a G/A every 2.3 appearances.

Admittedly, Salah is still a big danger posed to opposing defenders, but if he continues on the same trajectory, he could be looking at his worst season in Liverpool colours, having never failed to score less than 23 goals in a single campaign.

Would that be worth £400,000 a week, and would the Reds be able to resist a giant £100m+ offer for a player who turns 34 next summer as a result? Plenty of fans would argue not.

Despite that, the Egyptian has received strong backing from Rio Ferdinand, who thinks Reds supporters are showing a lack of respect by writing Salah off already.

How long has Mo Salah been at Liverpool? Seven, eight years? Top scorer, breaking all sorts of records, and I’m seeing people, because he’s had a bit of a couple of months off it, or maybe three or four months off it in some people’s lives…” he said on Rio Ferdinand Presents.

“‘He shouldn’t start. We should get rid of him.’ – Are you crazy?

“He’s given you seven or eight years of ridiculous numbers and ridiculous output, got you winning again, and you’re going after a little dizzy spell out of confidence. Maybe he’s dropped or whatever, form’s gone a little bit, and you’re going, ‘Let’s get someone else in’. You are nuts.”

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Latest Liverpool news: Real Madrid agree signing amid Konate links; Slot deal update

Meanwhile, Liverpool are already making progress on arguably the most important deal they’ll complete in 2026, and TEAMtalk can confirm the Reds expect to seal a full agreement with manager Arne Slot before the current season ends.

And we understand FSG remain fully behind their manager despite a patchy run of form of late that saw his position questioned in some sections of the media.

On the subject of Liverpool managers, or former ones at least, we have broken down bizarre claims Jurgen Klopp is being lined up to replace Hansi Flick at Barcelona.

Elsewhere, TEAMtalk can confirm Liverpool are one of the clubs taking a close look at Juventus and Turkey ace, Kenan Yildiz.

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