Noel Whelan

Sat 19 March 2022 20:00, UK

Noel Whelan has claimed Mohamed Salah’s wage demands could “cripple” Jurgen Klopp’s squad building plans at Liverpool.

The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted “breaking the bank” to keep the 29-year-old could mean the Reds cannot make other signings.

Speaking to Sky Sports on Wednesday (16 March), Klopp confessed some players could be on the move this summer, while he suggested the Reds will have to “prepare” for a future without the more experienced players in their squad.

Meanwhile, Salah’s contract situation is still up in the air after the Egyptian star and his representatives dismissed the club’s most recent offer.

A Liverpool source told Football Insider in October that the winger is demanding £500,000-a-week in negotiations.

Whelan claimed accepting Salah’s demands would curtail the Reds’ future transfer prospects.

Whelan told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “You’ve got a Mo Salah contract situation. He’s coming out of contract and asking for £500,000-a-week.

“That would, in my opinion, cripple Liverpool to go out and make any other signings in the summer. That’s the biggest conundrum that they have right, Mo Salah.

“You’re coming into the back end of your career. This is your probably the last and final good four-year contract you’re going to sign. Do you break the bank for him for four years?

“It’d cripple any possibility of maybe going out and signing other players because your wage bill is going to be going from one extent to a huge amount each month.”

Salah’s current contract runs out in the summer of 2023.

Liverpool made one signing last summer in Ibrahima Konate and brought Luis Diaz in during the January window.

In other news, pundit claims two top Liverpool stars could quit after reliable journalist’s update.