John Barnes says Mohamed Salah is the best player in the world but Liverpool should be wary of handing him a new long-term contract.
The Egyptian star is in the form of his life and has 15 goals to his name this campaign, including an hat-trick against Manchester United on Sunday.
Salah’s contract situation has dominated headlines recently with the player yet to commit his future to the Reds despite his current deal running until 2023.
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But at 29 years of age Barnes is unsure the Merseyside club should be handing out a long-term deal.
‘Right now he is the best player in the world. He has been for probably the last two or three months,’ Liverpool legend Barnes told BonusCodeBets.
‘Liverpool have got him for the next two years, so that’s important. The problem is that it’s a similar situation to Gini Wijnaldum.
‘He’s got two years left on his contract and if he wants a five-year contract that will take him to 34 years old. At 34 he’s probably not going to be worth what he is now.
‘This is the situation. It’s important that he stays focused while he’s playing for Liverpool, which is going to be for at least the next year.
‘But if you make Salah the highest paid player in the world and then when he’s 33 he’s not in the team because he’s not fit or too old, he’s taking up a big salary and how do you go and get another player?
‘Contracts aren’t important. The important thing is that Liverpool have got him for the next two years and he’s here and committed and the club love him.’
While Salah is yet to sign a new deal yet, in the lead up to Liverpool’s huge clash with the Red devils he went public with his stance, saying he wants to extend his stay at the club and even retire there.
‘If you ask me, I would love to stay until the last day of my football career, but I can’t say much about that – it’s not in my hands,’ Salah told Sky Sports.
‘It depends on what the club want, not on me.
‘At the moment I can’t see myself ever playing against Liverpool. That would make me sad. It’s hard, I don’t want to talk about it, but it would make me really sad.’
