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Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has blamed Manchester City forward Jack Grealish's wage for Mohamed Salah's contract stand-off at Anfield.
The Egyptian captain's future remains unclear as he has just over a year left on his current deal, with The Athletic claiming that Salah is demanding a contract that would see him become one of the best paid players in the world.
The 29-year-old enjoyed an incredible season for the Reds as he ended the campaign as the Premier League's joint top scorer and highest assist provider, despite Manchester City claiming the title.
Lawrenson believes that Salah is stalling on his decision to extend his stay in Merseyside due to the salaries of other Premier League players such as Manchester City star Grealish. Spotrac claims that the England international earns £300,000 a week, compared to Salah's current wage packet of £200,000 per week.
Speaking 888sport (as quoted by The Liverpool Echo), Lawrenson claimed:
“The real issue began when (Manchester City) signed Jack Grealish for £100m and everybody knows his wages. Mo’s agent probably then thought, well if Grealish is going there for £100m then my boy – who is a much better player and scores tons of goals – should at the very least be on what Grealish is.”
Salah reportedly happy to move to Premier League rival if he does not extend his current deal with Liverpool
The Egyptian forward's future has been the subject of much speculation in recent months, which has only intensified with Sadio Mane's reported decision to leave Anfield this summer in search of a new challenge.
Following the Reds' Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, Fabrizio Romano reported that Mane wants to leave Jurgen Klopp's side, with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich the favorites to pickup the prolific 30-year-old.
The Athletic have now reported that while Salah is committed to staying at the Merseyside club next season, his future after that remains unclear.
The report also claims that if the two parties cannot agree to terms on a new deal, Salah would prefer to stay in the Premier League when he becomes a free agent in the summer of 2023.
Salah won the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year for his incredible performances across the campaign. However, his form has dipped since his return from the African Cup of Nations in February, as he has netted only eight times in 23 appearances since Egypt's defeat in the final to Mane's Senegal.
