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Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes the Reds' owners will come under massive scrutiny if they let club legend Mohamed Salah leave the club.
Salah's contract situation with Liverpool has been well-documented in recent weeks. The Egyptian, whose current deal runs until 2023, has expressed his desire to extend his stay at Anfield, but wants a substantial pay rise. That has led to a delay in the club tying him down to a new contract.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Carragher believes Salah deserves a pay rise for his contributions to the club's success. He said:
"Salah wants to be paid as well as any top player in the Premier League or world football, and why shouldn't he? He deserves that; we're talking about one of the best players in the world."
Carragher also believes the club's owners will not be forgiven by the Reds faithful if they allow Salah to depart, saying:
"This is not a case of giving the player exactly what he wants, but Liverpool Football Club and the owners, I don't think they would be forgiven if Salah left this club in the summer or in 18 months' time. He's a Liverpool legend, one of the greatest players the club has ever had, and it needs to be sorted sooner rather than later."
"You see the effect it has" - Carragher on Liverpool's struggles against Arsenal without Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane
Carragher's comments have come in the aftermath of the Reds' goalless draw with Arsenal in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at Anfield on Thursday. Jurgen Klopp's side were without Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, as the duo are currently playing at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Sky Sports pundit opined that performance levels drop when his former side don't have Salah and Mane, saying:
"Those two players (Salah and Mane) are obviously a big miss, and this talk of Salah's contract will probably intensify even more because when he is not there, you see the effect it has."
Carragher added that Liverpool's performance in that game would only add to the scrutiny surrounding Salah's contract situation, noting:
"As a Liverpool supporter, you should be wary that this (Salah's contract situation) is dragging on. Other big players have signed contracts in the last three or four months, the goalkeeper (Alisson Becker), Trent (Alexander-Arnold), Virgil van Dijk, huge figures in this team."
He also added that the Reds got an absolute bargain when they signed Salah from Roma for around £36 million back in the summer of 2017. Carragher said:
"I would love this deal to be done as quickly as possible. You cannot forget the price Liverpool signed Salah for. It wasn't as if they went and spent £100 million; they did what they are great at and did a brilliant deal. The money they have invested in him already - transfer fee and wages - has been a snip."
The Egyptian is expected to be back from the AFCON for the club's Premier League game against Leicester City on February 11.
