Michael Owen has given his thoughts on the immediate future of Mohamed Salah at Liverpool, alongside commenting on the Reds notable dip in form this season.
In an exclusive interview to discuss Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future and Reds season as a whole former Liverpool striker and Ballon d’Or winner Michael Owen shared his perspective.
Owen, who knows the weight of the iconic number 7 and 10 shirts, believes the internal shift at Anfield made this conclusion a matter of “when,” not “if.”
It has been a car crash of a campaign so far for the Merseyside giants, with a sorry ten defeats next to their name, as we head into the final months of the gruelling season.
Liverpool haven’t been helped whatsoever by Salah being nowhere near his world-class best as of late, with only five goals next to his name in Premier League action.
This is night and day compared to when he set the league alight during the 2025/26 campaign with an outrageous 29 goals and 18 assists, on the way to the club 20th title being lifted.
The announcement of Mohamed Salah exit comes during a season Owen describes as a ‘wide range” to why the reigning champions are a shell of themselves during the current campaign after a heavy transfer spend of almost £500m
“It’s a number of factors,” Owen explained. “Recruitment of players in, top players leaving, the manager, the current players, injuries, conceding late goals and small margin decisions. So may factors, you can’t pinpoint one and say that is the sole reason. So it has been a wide range of issues, but yes it comes down to the manager too to get things right on the pitch as it’s his role, but other factors have played a part.”
Mohamed Salah: Statistical Comparison:
| Category | 24/25 season (in full) | 25/26 season (to date) |
| Total games played | 52 | 33 |
| Total goals scored | 34 | 10 |
| Total assists | 20 | 9 |
Before Salah’s departure was made official, Owen had publicly backed the two-time Premier League title winner to remain on Merseyside.
Speaking with ReadLiverpool, Owen, the official UK ambassador for Casino.org, a trusted comparison website highlighting the best online casinos for UK players, said, when quizzed on Salah’s future he had expressed optimism that the Egyptian would stay to mentor the club’s new £450m strike force.
“I hope and believe Mo Salah will stay at Liverpool. Unless a big offer comes in for him from somewhere like Saudi, I think Mo stays and next year, with Isak fully fit, Liverpool can push on again and challenge for the title again. Owen said
“This year has been difficult for a number of reasons, but hopefully Liverpool can secure Champions League football and then we can see the team fully up to speed.”
Slot’s injury crisis and the race for the top four
As the international break concludes, Arne Slot is desperately hoping to welcome his talismanic Egyptian attacker back to full fitness.
The inconsistent Reds felt his absence acutely during the recent trip to Brighton Salah was “nowhere to be seen” in that 2-1 defeat, sidelined by an injury that left the frontline looking blunt against a resurgent Seagulls side.
The loss at the Amex has heightened fears that Liverpool are in grave danger of missing out on the coveted top-four positions.
For a player that recently sat on the throne as Premier League title holders and six time European winners, the prospect of failing to secure Champions League football is a chilling reality.
Owen’s thoughts on Liverpool’s demise
Indeed, heading into the 205/26 season, the optimism would have been through the roof that Liverpool could continue their domestic dominance and lift back-to-back titles.
The script hasn’t played out like that, though, with Slot’s once-feared machine, now a fatigued shell of what it previously was.
Owen couldn’t pinpoint one overwhelming factor that has contributed to this malaise however, as ‘so many factors’ have been at play.
The season isn’t over just yet, so the Reds do still have an opportunity to fix their dented pride, with an April fixture schedule that is jam-packed with huge games against Manchester City and Paris St Germain, possibly making or breaking their campaign.
With 255 goals to his name, trailing only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt, Salah remains focused on the remaining silverwear available. “I will give 100% and give everything for the club. I am happy to be here and I really want to win something for this club,” he recently declared.
The confirmation of Mohamed Salah’s departure marks a definitive end to one of the most prolific eras in Anfield history.
Despite Owen’s earlier prediction that Salah would stay and “push on again” alongside new arrivals like Alexander Isak, the 33-year-old’s decision to move on on a free transfer this summer signals a clean break for a club in transition.
