Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey has warned that the club risk losing their star forward Mohamed Salah if they fail to win a title at the end of the season. The Egypt international has played a key role for the Reds since joining the side, helping them to reach the Champions League final last season.
The Reds last claim the English elite league trophy in 1990. They went close to ending the title drought in 2002, 2009 and 2014 but emerged as runners-up on all occasions. They currently lead the league log with 62 points, although the gap with their closest rivals Manchester City has been reduced to three points after Monday’s 1-1 stalemate with West Ham United.
CAF African Player of the year for two consecutive years, Mohamed Salah has been outstanding since joining Jurgen Klopp’s men in the summer of 2017 from AS Roma and played a pivotal role for the Reds as they reached the final of the Champions League last season losing to Real Madrid. The Egypt international had been previously linked with Los Blancos in the past and the 41-year-old has stated that the desire to win a trophy could lure the 26-year-old away from the club.
“There’s always that risk of players wanting to leave,” Heskey told the Express. However, the former England international believes that the cordial relationship between the Reds’ fans and the players will want to motivate Salah along with his strike partners Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino to continue on the Merseyside.
“The relationship between the players and the Liverpool fans is such that they always want to give the league another go,” he added. “I’m not saying that they Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane would not go, but there is plenty of reason for them to stay.”
In June 2017, Salah agreed a transfer to Liverpool. He signed a long-term contract with the Reds for an initial €42m fee that could rise to €50m. The fee was a club record, eclipsing the £35m spent on Andy Carroll in 2011. He was assigned the number 11 shirt previously worn by Roberto Firmino who instead switched to number 9.
He joined the club on 1 July upon the opening of the summer transfer window, becoming Liverpool’s first Egyptian player. Salah was awarded the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, having earlier been named in the PFA Team of the Year for the Premier League. Mohamed Salah who has 16 league goals this season will hope to help his side return to winning ways when they take on Bournemouth on Saturday.