Rio Ferdinand defends Mohamed Salah contract comments following criticism from Liverpool legend

Mohamed Salah gave both fans and the media a lot to discuss when he dropped a bombshell update on his current contract situation. Following Liverpool’s latest win over Southampton, the star winger stopped to speak to reporters during a rare mixed zone appearance.

Salah revealed that the club had not yet offered him a new deal, leaving him to feel he is ‘more out than in’ as things stand. Many fans have been left frustrated with Liverpool, wondering why one of their most crucial players has not been offered the chance to stay beyond his current contract, which expires next June.

The comments did not go down well with Jamie Carragher, who criticised the Egyptian’s approach and branded him and his agent as ‘selfish’ during an important season for the club.

“I must say I am very disappointed with Mo Salah,” the Anfield lefgend said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. “Liverpool have Real Madrid midweek and Man City at the weekend. That's the story right now.

“If he keeps putting comments out, his agent puts out cryptic messages, that is selfish. That is thinking about themselves and not the football club.”

While Salah’s media appearance has drawn in criticism from Carragher, fellow pundit Rio Ferdinand disagrees with the scrutiny. Speaking on TNT Sports, the ex-Manchester United defender waded in to defend Salah’s comments and admitted he is actually fond of how he tackled these uncertain times as his contract ticks down.

“I’d love to know the inner workings of this, how he’s not got a contract offer or what’s holding it up. How do you replace 30-odd goals a season, every season? You’ve got to say ‘what’s the market value, who are the biggest earners in this league?’ Match it up, get him to stay because these guys win you trophies,” Ferdinand said.

“He’s banged the pressure right on the doorstep of Anfield. I like the transparency of it, I like the confidence, I like the ‘you know who I am, you know what I give you, let’s talk’. I like that, and I think it puts pressure on the club.

“I don’t think he said anything out of term, and that’s the key thing. He hasn’t been disrespectful in that sense for me, he’s just given cold facts and said ‘right, where are we?’”

Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all at risk of leaving the club for free at the end of the season. If new terms cannot be agreed, the key trio will be free agents in June, and rival clubs can start negotiating pre-contract agreements in January. Contrasting reports continue to do the rounds within the media but the rumours will not rest until a concrete announcement is made by the club.