Departing Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah says he is at peace with his decision to leave at the end of the season and go out on his own terms.
LONDON: Departing Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah insists he is at peace with his decision to leave at the end of the season and go out on his own terms, reported PA Media/dpa.
The Egypt international will end a trophy-laden nine years at Anfield this summer after coming to an agreement with the club to cut short the lucrative two-year contract he signed 12 months ago.
This season has arguably been the most frustrating of that period and is notable primarily for his very public fall-out with Arne Slot in December, when he accused the head coach of “throwing him under the bus” when he was benched as results took a dive.
That relationship was patched up after the 33-year-old returned from the Africa Cup of Nations but the fact Salah and the club agreed to go their separate ways – the forward being released from his reported £400,000-a-week (US$543,200) contract without Liverpool holding out for a transfer fee – suggests things were still not quite right.
“I feel to go through the season this is the right thing to do now, and I have peace with it,” he said in an interview with former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on TNT Sports.
“The season was tough for all of us… I don’t want to say much.
“I’m happy about it, everything that is going on this season makes me like ‘No, it’s time to go’, so I’m happy.”
Gerrard visited Salah at his home as speculation raged about his future following his rare public outburst and the Egyptian was grateful for the advice.
It means Salah will get the send-off he deserves in the final home match of the season against Brentford and although he is currently injured, the forward said he would “probably” return before that game.
“I’m glad that I’m leaving now through a big door as that was something you mentioned to me – ‘leave on your own terms’ – and I still remember those words,” he added.
“Honestly I feel I have a lot to give: physically I feel very good, I played many games this season.
“I didn’t decide yet what I’m going to do, to be fair, I have a lot of options which are good options.”
Salah’s departure, along with that of another stalwart in Andy Robertson, sees Liverpool lose a vast amount of experience.
The club’s £450 million (US$612 million) transfer spend signalled the ushering in of a new era but Salah expressed his hope those players could maintain the standards within the dressing room which led to former manager Jürgen Klopp labelling his squad “mentality monsters”.
“Every player had the same goal, no playing around, no heroes, everybody knows what they do and if you don’t do it right the other one is going to really go for you to do it right,” said Salah of a squad which won the Champions League and Premier League in back-to-back seasons at the height of their power.
“We had that so much in the last 10 years, and I really hope from my heart that will not change because now we change a lot of players and the bond of the team is changing so I really hope the guys hold it together and have that for the future.”
