Jamie O’Hara has slammed Liverpool’s hierarchy over their “unacceptable” decision to let Mohamed Salah walk away for free this summer, branding the move a massive failure by the Anfield board.
Speculation had been in the air for some time regarding Salah’s immediate future on Merseyside, with his performances taking a notable dip this season, with only five Premier League goals next to his name.
It still would have come as an unexpected shock on Tuesday night when the modern-day Reds legend announced that he would be stepping away at the close of the campaign, with his contract to be ripped up, to allow him to leave.
It remains to be seen who the 33-year-old will move to next, as he enters the twlight years of his illustrious career, with Saudi Pro League interest always rumoured.
At one stage, it was even rumoured that Salah could move out to the mega riches of the Middle East on an insane £105m deal.
Salah’s agent has come out to condemn ‘attention seekers’ speculating as to what his client’s next steps are, but it’s natural in football for the rumour mill to go into overdrive, off the back of such groundbreaking news.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie O’Hara has offered his thoughts on the sudden development, too, with the former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder blasting the deal as one that doesn’t really benefit Arne Slot’s men.
O’Hara’s thoughts on Salah’s exit
Arguably, he does have a point, as Liverpool is about to let one of their most decorated servants leave, with no gargantuan transfer fee attached.
Instead, he will walk away on a free transfer, despite amassing a stunning 255 goals over a trophy-laden career at Anfield.
It seems as if the deal was agreed to fit Salah’s best interests, as he looks for a late-career challenge, but O’Hara has still been questioning the move when speaking on Sky Sports.
The often outspoken pundit has said:
“No, it suits Salah, because he gets to choose where he goes next.
He will have all the options available to him. Where he goes will determine why that deal was made. I just don’t see how it benefits Liverpool.
The only way I can look at it as benefiting Liverpool is that they think they want him off the wage bill, it’s £400k a week.
If Saudi were to come in, they’d get £40m-£50m for him. That would be my argument. I don’t think that’s a great deal!”
There is some weight to O’Hara’s comments here, as the Saudi Pro League clubs have been known to splash the big bucks on Premier League talents in the past.
But, with a deal of that magnitude not in the works, Liverpool had to respect the immediate wishes of Salah, who demands that respect, for what he has offered the Reds over the years.
Away from all the talk of whether it’s a beneficial deal or not for Slot’s men, Salah still has a large chunk of the season left to bow out from Liverpool gracefully, with an FA Cup or Champions League triumph not out of the question.
