Liverpool & Mohamed Salah still 'some way apart' on new contract

Liverpool and Mohamed Salah are still 'some way apart' in talks over a new contract for the Egyptian superstar, 90min has been told.

Salah and Liverpool have been in talks over a new deal for more than a year but the latest negotiations were halted in December with no agreement reached or even close.

The 29-year-old has just 15 months left on his current deal at Anfield and in January could sign a pre-contract with a view to leaving as a free agent next year. But Liverpool have at least made a fresh approach and the player's representatives have agreed to engage in re-engage in talks.

It is believed Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, are willing to make Salah the club's highest paid player - but their is a reluctance over making him one of the Premier League's biggest earners.

The top paid player at Anfield is currently Virgil van Dijk who earns less than £250,000 per week - which considering Liverpool's status as one of the best clubs in Europe, is remarkably low.

The problem comes with potential future deals and it is believed Salah wants to more than double his current wages, which are believed to be around £200,000 per week. Even at £400,000 is less than the league's highest earners - with Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin De Bruyne both earning more.

However, 90min has been informed that while Liverpool would be willing to go to a figure in excess of £300,000 per week, they are 'unlikely' to go as high as £400,000.

A source with knowledge of the situation has confirmed to 90min that as it stands the two parties are 'still some way apart' and a new deal was 'not on the horizon' at this stage.

However, the two parties are continuing talks, and it does present positives to Liverpool that Salah's people have not merely walked away from discussions and that it is ongoing.

Salah, who turns 30 this summer, believes that he is not asking for wages he doesn't deserve and as one of Europe's top players, he is seeking a salary along the lines of what many would project as a fair wage for someone of his stature.

As it stands Salah does have interest from both Barcelona and Real Madrid, but whether either would be offering him a move this summer remains to be seen.

Liverpool are additionally talking to Salah's team-mate Sadio Mane, who is also out-of-contract in 2023, although again 90min has been told that a new deal with him is also 'not imminent'.

The Reds are making sure not yo over-stretch themselves on either player and are hopeful that their two outstanding forwards will consider new deals - perhaps on less money than if they moved - if it meant continuing their dominating form under Jurgen Klopp.