Liverpool should ‘bend rules’ to keep Mo Salah as teammate decides on future

Liverpool boss Arne Slot will be hoping to get his side’s Premier League title bid back on track after the international break, with the Reds closing in on a famous triumph after going 15 points clear at the top of the table

Liverpool will be eager to get their Premier League campaign back underway after the international break finishes this week – as they bid to wrap up their title triumph. Next up is a huge Merseyside Derby against Everton on April 2.

The Reds are 15 points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table and know that they could mathematically become champions in the next few games if they continue their winning run and results go their way.

Arne Slot’s men have been dealt a double blow of being knocked out of the Champions League by PSG while also losing the Carabao Cup final to Newcastle and the best way to get back on track is to win the title as quickly as possible.

Mirror Football has taken a look through the biggest Liverpool headlines, rumours and gossip ahead of their return to top flight action.

READ MORE: Jamie Carragher comes up with new Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk theory as contracts run downREAD MORE: Liverpool told to swap Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez for two Premier League stars

Owen urges Liverpool to keep Salah

While Mohamed Salah continues to have a sensational season for Liverpool, it still looks likely he will depart Anfield as a free agent this summer unless the club can make some progress with contract talks.

The Egyptian is breaking a string of records this season after netting 32 goals in just 43 games and club legend Michael Owen believes the club should be moving mountains to make sure he stays – no matter the financial implications.

Liverpool have to be careful of the Premier League’s PSR regulations when it comes to their salary budget, but Owen feels they should “bend the rules” if it means Salah stays put at the club.

“Mo Salah ‘s an interesting one. I think Mo Salah wants to stay, in fact I’m pretty sure he wants to stay,” the ex-England striker told talkSPORT. “I think Liverpool are going to have to bend the rules slightly, they might say, ‘oh right, only two years for players of this age’.

“But he’s no normal player, he’s as fit as a flea, he’s dedicated, he lives in the gym, he’s so professional. You can’t tell me that he’s not going to be at the same level in three, four years. I mean, he’s just unbelievable. So I would bend the rules, I would give him the contract, the length of contract.

“I’m also not that type of person, a fan that says, ‘just give him what he wants, he’s brilliant, we’ll win the league with him’. No, because you can’t put your club at risk, but I don’t think it’s got to that stage.

“To replace him, it’s going to cost an awful lot more, you’re not going to pay a transfer fee for him. So I would do whatever it takes to keep him, and I think he wants to stay, but sources tell me that they’re still quite a way apart.”

Chiesa’s father hopeful on Anfield stay

Liverpool only made one major signing this season as they brought in Italian winger Federico Chiesa from Juventus.

The 27-year-old has struggled to stay fit and has a number of fitness setbacks since his £10m move last summer, but there looks to be some light at the end of the tunnel after he came on against Newcastle and scored a consolation in the cup final.

Chiesa has been limited to appearances off the bench so far and has managed just three starts in cup competitions – though his father is still upbeat on his son’s situation and thinks he will stay at the club despite rumours he could return to Italy.

“Federico is doing great in Liverpool, he is in a top club that is first in the league and now we hope they win the Premier League!” Enrico Chiesa told Tuttosport. “He is there to play his cards, he has a great chance.

“This summer I told him what I have been telling him since he was little. Because, in reality, until he was 15 he didn’t play often and when he asked me ‘What should I do?’ I told him to keep training, not to give up, to be ready when his time came.”

Klavan on “complicated” trio’s futures

Remember Ragnar Klavan? The Estonian centre-back spent two seasons at Anfield between 2016 and 2018 and became something of a fan’s favourite.

During that time, he played alongside Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold and hopes that all three players can resolve their differences with the club and sign new contracts.

“Hopefully they will find a solution,” he told the Liverpool Echo and other media outlets. “It’s complicated of course but I hope from the bottom of my heart that they will stay here.

“Of course, yeah, I would be really happy (if Salah signs a new contract) but I don’t know what is the situation there. But I would love to see him play and more years here in Liverpool.”

As things stand, the trio will become free agents this summer. Van Dijk looks the most likely to stay out of the three and has already teased that fans will hear news about his future soon, though Alexander-Arnold has been linked with a move to Real Madrid.

Salah, meanwhile, has repeatedly insisted this will be his final season at Liverpool and has been linked to the Saudi Pro League.

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