Arne Slot refused to give an update on Liverpool's negotiations with Mohamed Salah, out of contract in the summer, but said the forward was 'more in than out' of his line-ups ahead of a crunch week, with games against Real Madrid in the Champions League and Man City in the Premier League
Tuesday 26 November 2024 19:41, UK
Mohamed Salah is not distracted despite publicly saying he was unhappy about his Liverpool contract situation, insists Arne Slot.
Salah's future dominated Liverpool's pre-Real Madrid news conference after the forward said he was probably "more out than in" after scoring twice for the Premier League leaders in Sunday's comeback win over Southampton.
Liverpool boss Slot refused to comment on the progress of negotiations with his star player, who is out of contract in the summer and says he is yet to be offered a new deal.
"The only thing I can say is, when I look at my line-ups, Mo is more in than out. That quote I can give you," said Slot.
He added: "He is not distracted at all. I haven't seen it after the Man Utd game when he made comments. I didn't see anything today, he is fully focused on the game tomorrow (Wednesday).
"If you had been at the training ground today, no one spoke about it at least when I was there. Players are also focused on the short term. That is Real Madrid and City.
"I don't think there is any distraction for him, the players and definitely not for me."
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was critical of Salah on Monday Night Football for putting the focus on him in a crunch week when Liverpool face Real Madrid and Man City.
"I focus a bit more on what else Jamie said," said Slot when asked about Carragher's comments.
"He said Mo is one of the five best players we ever had at this club. I agree with him. I don't think it distracts Mo. My main focus is the next game. We have another big game coming up after that.
"I talked to Mo about what I expect from him, like I do with all the other players. I am not distracted at all by his comments and I do not feel his team-mates are as well."
Carragher was "very disappointed" with Salah's Liverpool contract comments.
"Right now there's obviously a big difference in the valuation. What Mo Salah and his agent value themselves at, whether that's financially or in terms of length of contract, to what Liverpool do," he said on Monday Night Football.
"So the reason Liverpool wouldn't have offered a contract yet is because Mo Salah will turn it down, so they're still in talks. I'm desperate for them to meet in the middle, but I must say I am very disappointed with Mo Salah. That interview yesterday after the game and it comes out today.
"Liverpool have got Real Madrid midweek and they've got Manchester City at the weekend, that's the story for Liverpool right now.
"Mo Salah, we're all quite aware, certainly the local reporters are in Liverpool, that in the seven years he's been at the football club he's stopped in the mixed zone twice, which is his right, which is absolutely fine.
"But he decided to stop for the third time away at Southampton on the back of winning Liverpool the game and putting that out.
"Now the most important thing for Liverpool this season is not the future of Mo Salah, it's not the future of Virgil van Dijk and it's not the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
"The most important thing is Liverpool winning the Premier League. That is more important than any of those players, and if he continues to put comments out or his agent keeps putting cryptic tweets out, that's selfish, that's thinking about themselves and not the football club."
