‘Nothing lasts forever’ – Carragher hints which of Salah, Mane and Firmino Liverpool will axe
Jamie Carragher “trusts” Liverpool owners FSG to sign Mohamed Salah to a new contract, but hinted Luis Diaz’s arrival is a sign of what’s to come.
Liverpool fans are beginning to feel a sense of apprehension at the fate of their fabled front three. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino will go down in Liverpool folklore as the trio that fired the Reds to their first Premier League title. They also played a major role in securing Liverpool’s sixth European Cup in 2019.
However, all three are due to become free agents when their contracts expire in the summer of 2023.
Diogo Jota has already shown there will be life after the triumvirate is broken up for good. The addition of Luis Diaz is another step towards Liverpool safeguarding their future.
Regardless, few Liverpool fans will be happy to see any of Firmino, Mane or Salah depart any time soon.
Salah in particular is getting better with age, though his reported £400,000-per-week contract demands are making owners FSG pause for thought.
Now, speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Reds legend Jamie Carragher insisted he believes a new Salah contract will eventually be signed. However, he hinted the futures of Mane and Firmino are less secure when suggesting FSG should prioritise the Egyptian first.
Salah the ‘one to sort first’ – Carragher
“18 months is a long time, it really is,” Carragher told the Liverpool Echo.
“I think Mo Salah is the one you want to get sorted first, possibly more so than the others (Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino).
“You look at him and Mane now in the Africa Cup of Nations final, two of the best attackers in world football, and the service they’ve given the club. Hopefully we can get a few more years out of them.
“But I always trust Liverpool as a club in terms of buying, selling and sorting contracts out. I think we’re the best at it so I’m not panicking at all. I’ve got great faith in FSG.
“Michael Edwards is obviously moving on but you’ve got Julian Ward there now and Jurgen Klopp. It’s a brilliant team that we’ve got behind the scenes and I think we should just trust them.
Players want Salah to stay
“As a player I think we’re all a little bit selfish when it comes to situations like contracts. You look after yourself. But if I’m in that dressing room and Fernando Torres or Steven Gerrard signs a new contract, I’m delighted.
“And I’m sure everyone in that dressing room now will be desperate for Mo Salah to sign a new contract as well as Sadio Mane and Bobby Firmino as well.
“These are legends of this club and we’ll be talking about them in 20-30 years, that’s how good they’ve been.”
Nonetheless, Carragher is fully aware of how Liverpool’s American owners operate. As such, he is bracing himself for the possibility Diaz has been signed to replace one of the original front three. The fact they will all be over 30 by the start of next season does not bode well for the trio’s long-term future.
Carragher added: “But nothing lasts forever. And that’s why Liverpool have done such really good business with Luis Diaz. Because maybe, who knows, at the end of the season or the year after one of the front three will move on. They’re at that age in football.
“But if you’re another player in that squad, you’ll be absolutely delighted if those players join the other five or six, or whatever it is, in signing new contracts and it bodes well for Liverpool’s future.”
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Liverpool schedule new Fabio Carvalho talks
Meanwhile, Liverpool have arranged imminent transfer talks to rectify their transfer error over Fulham’s Fabio Carvalho, according to one journalist.
An agreed deadline day deal for the 19-year-old fell through after the Premier League and Championship sides failed to get the paperwork done in time. It didn’t seem too much of a tragedy because Carvalho is out of contract in the summer.
However, it does mean he remains open to approaches from other clubs. For example, Real Madrid have been linked with a bargain swoop.
So to avoid missing out, the Reds are moving quickly. Fabrizio Romano has reported they have direct contact scheduled for this month.
They will speak to Carvalho’s representatives and Fulham as they look to wrap up a deal once and for all.
The England youth international had already passed a medical and agreed personal terms. It’s hoped on Merseyside that it should therefore be straightforward.
Baring a change of mind from Carvalho, he looks likely to be at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal next season.
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