Mohamed Salah shouldn't copy my Liverpool exit decision - I left for a different reason

Mohamed Salah shouldn't copy my Liverpool exit decision – I left for a different reason

Mohamed Salah has already been told he has no reason not to sign a new Liverpool contract by fellow club legend Ian Rush, who explained why his situation was different

Ian Rush would love to see Mo Salah extend his Liverpool stay (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images )

Liverpool icon Ian Rush believes Mohamed Salah has no reason to leave the club, unlike him. The 63-year-old twice departed Merseyside, the first time in 1987 to join Juventus before returning after just one season.

He cemented his legacy at Anfield in his second stint, much like Salah has done over the last seven-and-a-half years. But while Rush left again for Leeds in 1996, he thinks his situation doesn't match up to the current star man of the Reds side.

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He already set out his stall on Salah, whose out of contract next summer, when speaking to the ECHO last year, explaining: “I’d love him to extend his contract. We don’t know what will happen but I’m sure every Liverpool supporter would love that as well.

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“I left because I wasn’t playing regularly. I just wanted to play football. I didn’t want to sit on the bench and that’s what you’ve got to look at. I left here to go to Leeds United because I wanted to be playing week in, week out.

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“I looked at [Robbie] Fowler and [Stan] Collymore, they were doing really well together, and I didn’t want to be sitting on the bench. I was enjoying my football and that’s the reason why I went to Leeds.

“But that was my situation, it depends if you are happy sitting on the bench or not. But Mo’s not even got to that stage yet so no, there’s not really any reason for him to go yet."

Rush left for Leeds in search of regular minutes (Image: EMPICS Sport )

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Salah continues to defy his age at 32 and topple records, sitting third in Liverpool's all-time top-scorer list - still over 100 goals behind Rush. A year on from his comments, the situation is now approaching a head.

Speaking at The Northwest Football Awards last month, Rush reiterated his desire to see Salah sign a new contract. "Me and Mo speak quite a lot," told the Mail. "People talk about whether he’s staying or going but I just enjoy watching him on the pitch.

"He’s a joy to watch. You think he hasn’t done anything for 20 then he pops up with a goal or two. You can’t buy that. That’s special and he’s a special player. Everyone wants him to stay."

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