"It was time for him to go." John Arne Riise didn't dress it up. The former Liverpool defender said what a lot of people at Anfield have been quietly thinking since Mohamed Salah's public standoff with the club last December.
Salah, 33, announced on March 24 that he'll leave Liverpool at the end of this season. He sits third on the club's all-time scoring list with 255 goals — a number that earns him every send-off he'll get. But Riise, who made 348 appearances for the Reds between 2001 and 2008, thinks the peak is behind him.
"I could see it last season as well, that he wasn't up to his top, top level, and especially this season," Riise said. "This is what happens when you're arguing for a contract, and if they end up signing a new contract... expectation is high again, and you don't perform, you get criticised."
The contract saga that poisoned the well
That's the context worth understanding here. Salah signed a two-year extension in April 2025 — but only after telling reporters in November 2024 he was "more out than in." Then came December: benched for three straight games, accusing the club of throwing him "under the bus," and publicly questioning his relationship with Arne Slot. The matter was smoothed over, and Liverpool insist it had no bearing on his exit decision. Whether you believe that or not, the damage to the dynamic was visible.
Riise sees the announcement itself as a smart move. No more speculation, no drip-feed of rumour killing the dressing room atmosphere. "He can relax, just focus on football knowing that it's out there now," he said. "Hopefully that will just relieve some pressure, so he can just get back to his best again. We need him at his best in the last part of the season."
That last point matters more than the farewell sentiment. Liverpool have an FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City on April 4, then PSG in the Champions League quarter-finals across April 8 and 14. If Salah can rediscover anything close to his best form — and that's a genuine if — Liverpool's odds in both competitions shift considerably. A disengaged Salah in those fixtures is a different calculation entirely.
Slot's position is safer than the noise suggests
Riise also pushed back firmly on the calls for Slot's head — calls that have grown louder as Liverpool's title defence has crumbled. Xabi Alonso, Riise's former teammate, has been mentioned as a potential replacement. Riise isn't buying it.
"He won the league last year and you can't say it's because it was Klopp's team, because he came with his own ideas," Riise said. "It's been a season of ups and downs. I think it's strange to hear that people are calling for his head and booing. I'm quite sure he's got time and the board is not even thinking about letting him go."
A rough domestic season after a title win isn't unusual. What April produces — in the cups, in Europe — will define how Slot's second year is ultimately remembered. The squad is still capable. Whether it's willing is the open question.
As for Salah: 255 goals, eight seasons, one of the most productive runs any player has ever had at a single club. He'll get his farewell. First, Liverpool need the version of him that actually turns up to the big games — not the one that's been disappearing in them.
