LIVERPOOL: Mohamed Salah has confirmed he will see out his contract at Liverpool next season, but the Egypt forward remains non-committal on his future at Anfield beyond 2023.
Salah’s contract expires at the end of next season and talks over a new deal have dragged on for months without a resolution.
Ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final against Real Madrid, Salah said his full focus is on winning the biggest prize in European football for the second time.
“I don’t want to talk about the contract. I’m staying next season for sure, let’s see after that,” said Salah at Liverpool’s pre-match media day on Wednesday.
“In my mind I don’t focus about the contract. I don’t want to be selfish, it’s about the team. It’s a really important week for us, I want to see Hendo (Jordan Henderson) having the trophy again in his hands.”
However, Real’s failure to land France forward Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain has sparked speculation they could now enter the race for Salah.
The 29-year-old picked up his third Premier League Golden Boot in five seasons on Sunday as he shared the award with Tottenham’s Son Heung-min on 23 goals.
Salah’s fellow forward Sadio Mane also refused to commit his long-term future to Liverpool.
The Senegal international is out of contract in 2023 and has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich.
“This question (about my future) I will answer after the Champions League,” Mane told Sky Sports.
“If I’m staying or not, I’m going to answer after Champions League.”
In the aftermath of Real’s stunning comeback against Manchester City in the Champions League semifinals, which set up a repeat of the 2018 final between Liverpool and the Spanish giants, Salah said he had a “score to settle.”
Salah was forced off early in Real’s 3-1 win in Kyiv due to a dislocated shoulder after being hauled to the ground by Sergio Ramos.
He will not come up against the rugged Spanish center-back on Saturday as Ramos left Madrid to join Paris Saint-Germain last year.
Salah had scored 44 goals in his debut season at Liverpool heading into the final four years ago.
The injury also left him hobbled for the 2018 World Cup as Egypt crashed out at the group stages.
“It was the worst moment in my career,” he added. “I had a good season and playing the Champions League final I had to come off after 30 minutes.
“After the game I knew the result because I was in the hospital, I thought we cannot lose this way. I never felt that feeling before in football.
“It was the first Champions League final for most of us. We were very disappointed. We managed to win it the year after so it was kind of revenge.”
Reds captain Jordan Henderson claimed there was no need for revenge to fuel Liverpool in Paris as they aim to round off a remarkable season on a high.
Liverpool have already lifted the League Cup and FA Cup, but their attempt to land an unprecedented quadruple ended on Sunday as Manchester City pipped them to the Premier League by one point.
“I can understand from Mo’s point of view it was a very emotional time for him to come off injured,” said Henderson.
“It was tough for him and for all of us. But you don’t need any more motivation than playing a Champions League final against Madrid.
“They are a world class side, world class players all over the pitch. We need to be at 100 percent, but we are ready.”
Salah staying at Liverpool ‘for sure’ next season
https://arab.news/gmdwy
Salah staying at Liverpool ‘for sure’ next season
- Mohamed Salah: ‘I don’t want to talk about the contract; I’m staying next season for sure, let’s see after that’
- Sadio Mane: ‘This question (about my future) I will answer after Champions League’
Football’s return to Syrian pitches brings fanfare — and friction
RIYADH: Just 10 days after the first anniversary of Syria’s Liberation Day, and one week after the historic performance of the country’s football team at the 2025 Arab Cup — where they reached the quarterfinals — domestic football returned as the Syrian Premier League kicked off its new season.
While league football has continued intermittently since a one-year suspension in 2011, this season represents a notable shift.
For the first time since 2017, the competition features 16 teams playing a full round-robin format — a return to structural normality after years of disrupted campaigns, withdrawals and operational challenges caused by conflict and deteriorating infrastructure.
Foreign players have also returned in significant numbers. A total of 25 overseas players are registered across the 16 clubs in what is now known as the “Prime TV” Syrian Premier League, following the broadcaster’s acquisition of domestic broadcasting rights for the season.
Yet despite the sense of renewal, the league’s reset has been far from smooth. Average attendances remain well below pre-war levels, while the season itself was delayed multiple times before eventually beginning in mid-December — a schedule that is now expected to extend deep into the summer months.
Concerns over facilities and fan safety have already sparked internal tension. The anticipated Matchday Two fixture between Tishreen and Hottin — also known as the Latakia Derby — was postponed by the Syrian Football Association until further notice. No official explanation was provided, but stadium readiness and crowd safety has been at the core of football discussion in Syria.
Supporters have also voiced their frustration over the newly announced ticket prices. Entry fees increased from 5,000 Syrian pounds ($0.45) to 15,000 SYP, a threefold rise announced by the SFA and widely cited as a factor behind subdued crowds.
Infrastructure remains a pressing issue. Historic venues such as Khalid Ibn Al-Walid Stadium in the city of Homs are still not cleared to host games due to pitch conditions and safety requirements, reinforcing the sense of uneven progress — advances made, but frequently offset by new obstacles.
Operational shortcomings were evident as early as the first game of the season. In the opening fixture between Al-Shorta and Hottin, a formal warning was issued to the former by the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee due to a breach in organizational arrangements for the match, including the failure to provide ball boys, which led to a five-minute delay to kick-off.
Political sensitivities have not been easy to navigate either. Al-Karamah were fined 1,500,000 SYP after fans directed verbal abuse at Al-Wahda player Milad Hamad, due to previous political posts made on his Facebook account.
Five days later, Al-Wahda announced Hamad’s suspension from all sporting activities pending review by the relevant committee at the SFA. “This decision comes in solidarity with all our beloved Syrian fans and as a reaffirmation of our commitment to the unity of our people and our land, and to the fact that the blood of our martyrs in the Syrian Revolution has not been shed in vain,” the club said in a statement posted via their official Facebook page.
Rebuilding a sustainable football system in Syria has proven complex. The league’s return has brought moments of excitement alongside renewed tension — a reminder that restoring domestic football is not simply about restarting competition, but about addressing the structures that support it. The Syrian Football Association was contacted for comment, but did not respond.
