Liverpool pal Lovren says Salah 'closer to leaving than staying'

Dejan Lovren has dropped a bombshell on Mohamed Salah's Liverpool contract saga while speaking to the microphones of 'WinWin'. The former Reds defender, who is a close friend of the Egyptian star, provided insight into the situation as he claimed that the club are lacking respect towards the 32-year-old forward.

Despite dedicating almost a decade of his career at Anfield, and doing so while breaking all kinds of records, Salah's future at the club remains in doubt. He is one of three big-name players out of contract at the end of the season, alongside captain Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

With the main cause for the stalled negotiations lying around money, Salah could be lured into accepting lucrative offers from Saudi Arabian clubs, who have already made their interest in the player known. Lovren believes that Liverpool should simply meet the Egypt international's demands.

"We are still in touch. We talk every now and then, yes,” he told 'WinWin'. “I have to be careful what I say now because I know a lot of things. Honestly, I don’t know the exact numbers, but whatever he’s asking for, I think he deserves it. It’s simple, this guy is doing his job on the pitch."

Lovren believes Salah's age should not be factored into Liverpool's decision-making. “Don’t look at his age, some will say he’ll be 33, but look at Ronaldo, he’s 40 and still playing. Mohamed Salah is still scoring goals, he’s in great physical and mental shape. He’s still playing for the national team, so what’s the problem? He’s seven or eight years younger (than Ronaldo). So what’s the problem with Salah? Nobody can find an answer, that’s why I find it difficult.

“I can talk in more detail. Salah believes that there are things missing from the club side, and I hope they’ll be resolved soon. But the current reality is that he’s closer to leaving than staying. Everyone wants him to stay, and I personally want him to stay. I called him one day and said: 'Mo, you have to think about yourself. Look at everything you've given this club and what you can still give," the Croatia international continued.

“In the end, I came to the conclusion that the club doesn't respect him enough, or at least not as much as they think they deserve, but that's another side of the story, it's all about what goes on behind the scenes. Everyone can agree when they look at the numbers, there is no player who has the statistics like Mohamed Salah, not only this season but over the last 5-6 seasons in a row, they are not just amazing numbers, they are crazy."

The PAOK centre-back insisted that Salah is often sidelined as he does not accumulate the same engagement the likes of Messi and Ronaldo get. “I think he does not get enough attention despite these numbers because if it was Messi or Ronaldo, we would see talk every day about why his contract was not renewed and why the right offer was not made to him, but unfortunately, I think Mohamed Salah does not get this attention," he said.

Contractual issues aside, Lovren reassured fans that Salah's heart still beats for the Reds: "He loves Liverpool, by the way, he loves Liverpool a lot. And he wants to stay, and that's the most important part. Maybe he sees himself retiring there, I'm not entirely sure about that, but in the end, it's not about those around him, it's about other people.

Reflecting on a possible move to the Middle East, Lovren concluded: "If he leaves, yes, why not? As you know, the Saudi league is starting to become more competitive. I think if Mo goes there, he will be one of the biggest stars, and it will be a huge marketing boom for the league, and he will definitely attract some fans with him, so let's wait and see what happens."