Liverpool returned to winning ways after earning a 4-2 victory against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday (5 May) at Anfield.
The Reds, already out of the title race, played with a lot of freedom and took a 4-0 lead inside the hour mark with goals coming from Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Cody Gakpo, and Harvey Elliott.
Salah, who was involved in a touchline bust-up with Jurgen Klopp in the previous game against West Ham, returned to scoring form, as he gave Liverpool the lead inside 16 minutes, scoring with a far-post header.
The Egyptian has struggled a bit with his form this season, but he has still managed 18 goals and 10 assists in the Premier League. He is the club’s all-time leading goalscorer in the Premier League, but doubts remain over his long-term future at the club.
He will turn 32 in June and will have one year left in his contract. Last summer, Saudi clubs made an attempt to sign him, but Liverpool resisted temptation and rejected all offers. However, there is a feeling that they might come up again with a huge offer this time.
Murphy said that while Salah has been “amazing” for Liverpool, the Reds might cash in on him this time. The winger may also fancy a new challenge which could be the best thing for him.
“In an ideal world, he won’t leave. His reliability in front of goal is obvious and although he would bring in a big fee, replacing him and finding someone who guarantees the same numbers would be nigh on impossible,” said Murphy on Match of the Day 2.
“He’s got that rare and wonderful attribute of scoring goals even when he is not playing that well, so I really hope he stays. But the reality is that he might not. He might fancy a new challenge which is the best thing for him and his family.
“And as amazing as Salah is, I still think the number one priority for the new manager will be to secure Virgil van Dijk’s future.”
Should Liverpool cash in on Salah this summer?
Murphy is absolutely right in his assessment. In an ideal world, Salah would continue playing for Liverpool as long as he can because he still has a lot to offer. He can still score tons of goals and provide assists.
He still runs a lot, tracks back, and puts in a lot of defensive shifts. However, if a good offer comes along, Liverpool may find it really hard to reject this time. It won’t be easy to find a like-for-like replacement for him, but the club may consider the financial side of things.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is a local boy and Liverpool will do everything to keep him. Virgil van Dijk, 32, hasn’t shown signs of ageing, and Liverpool needs to make a big decision whether to offer him a new deal. There is a high probability that Salah could leave in the summer.
