Roy Keane has questioned the timing of Mo Salah’s announcement that he’ll be leaving Liverpool at the end of this season.
The Egyptian revealed on Tuesday evening that he’ll bring the curtain down on a historic nine-year spell at Anfield in which he’s become the Reds’ third-highest goalscorer of all time, with numerous past and present teammates paying heartfelt tributes to the 33-year-old.
While Jamie Carragher felt that the timing over the confirmation of his exit from Merseyside was ‘perfect’, Keane has taken a rather different view, fearing that the final few weeks of the campaign could turn into a ‘circus’ in L4.
Speaking on the topic of Salah’s departure on Stick to Football, the ex-Manchester United captain said: “I’m not sure it’s ideal, the timing. I don’t know why he doesn’t wait until the end of the season. Last year, there was a kind of noise coming out, ‘This could be my last game at Old Trafford.’ He played all those games last year before he signed his new deal.
“If Liverpool finish the season really badly, and they’ve not been great… we saw with Trent [Alexander-Arnold] a little bit last year, different circumstances, is he leaving, then he has a bad game against [Manchester] United.
“Say they come off it in the last month or two and they don’t do anything in the cup matches, and he’s not at his best – they’ll be saying, ‘He’s already left the club, his heart’s not in it’. I think that can turn a bit nasty, so this idea of a parade…
“It’d be different if they were like Arsenal and they were top of the league – you’re going to win the league like last year – but I’m not sure about the timing. I don’t know why you don’t just wait until the end of the season and go ‘I’ve done my bit’.”
Keane added: “Liverpool have a lot on their plate – don’t turn it into another circus act. Last year got a bit silly towards the end of the season and it can turn the other way. Fans can turn on him if he’s not at it, and he’s not been at it.”
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The Irishman is of course entitled to his opinion on Salah’s impending departure from Liverpool, but in this instance we feel that he’s misjudged the sentiments of Reds supporters.
Admittedly the Egyptian’s output has declined drastically this season, and the public utterances of a breakdown in his relationship with Arne Slot in December left a bad taste and fuelled speculation over a prompt and bitter exit from Anfield.
However, whereas Alexander-Arnold strung us along last year with ambiguous gestures before his long-touted move to Real Madrid was finally confirmed in May, our number 11 has clarified his future with two months of the season to go, ensuring that his send-off will be viewed rather more positively.
If anything, the removal of any doubt as to Salah’s situation at Liverpool could have a galvanising effect. Now that the winger has publicly declared he’ll be leaving, that could feel like a huge weight off his shoulders and spur him on to finish the campaign strongly.
Even if he doesn’t, his extraordinary contribution since joining from Roma in 2017 will ensure that he departs Merseyside at the end of this season with his legendary status secured for life.
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Klopp also made his exit announcement early. Both are legends and both will be cheered on even after they leave.
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