Former winger says timing is right despite forward’s enduring legacy at Anfield
Liverpool great John Barnes has said this season represents the right moment for Mohamed Salah to leave Anfield, arguing that both player and club are entering a natural point of transition.
Barnes suggested that an earlier departure—at the end of last season—might have been more ideal, but acknowledged that current circumstances still make a split appropriate.
Speaking to OLBG, the former winger pointed to the trajectory of the campaign and Salah’s contributions as key factors. “I think it probably is the right time, mainly because of the way the season’s gone and what he’s been able to give,” he said. “I thought it would have been at the end of last year, which for me would have been a better time for both parties.”
Salah, who turns 34 in June, confirmed last month that he will leave Liverpool FC after nine years marked by sustained success and individual brilliance. His final season, however, has been more uneven, shaped in part by a missed penalty in the FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester City and earlier public remarks concerning the club and manager Arne Slot.
Barnes also framed the situation within the broader realities of squad evolution, noting that Liverpool must look ahead by investing in younger attacking talent. He referenced potential options such as Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz as examples of the kind of forward planning required.
“The problem for Salah is the problem for everybody. You get to 34 years old and this happens,” Barnes added, pointing to the physical demands of elite football.
Despite a dip in output—Salah has scored 10 goals in 35 appearances this season—Barnes was unequivocal in his assessment of the forward’s place in Liverpool’s history. He placed him alongside club legends such as Steven Gerrard, Kevin Keegan and Ian Callaghan.
“He’s up there with the best of them,” Barnes said. “In terms of the top players at Liverpool, 100 per cent he’s up there.”
Salah is expected to feature when Liverpool face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday, in what could be one of his final appearances on the European stage for the club.
