Dean Saunders has urged Liverpool’s owners to give Mo Salah and Sadio Mane the salary they’re asking for to ensure the club doesn’t end up in a situation similar to that of Manchester United.
The Manchester outfit are without a major trophy since 2017 and failed to finish the season in the top four and will therefore play Europa League football next season.
The ex-Red insisted that if the star duo are to remain at Anfield, then the club are almost ‘guaranteeing success’.
“I think you’ve got to give them what they want. You look at Man Utd. What’s happened to Man Utd can happen to Liverpool at any time,” Saunders told talkSPORT (via Football 365).
“You can’t sell your best players, you can’t let them go. Especially, arguably two of the best players in the world.
“If you keep them at the club for the next four years, you’re more or less guaranteeing success.
“They make other players look better, so you’re putting value on the other players. Average players start looking brilliant.
“If you let Mane go, you’ve got to pay £100million minimum to replace him for what he produces. For the sake of the club, I think you’ve got to give them the money.”
Liverpool and Manchester United couldn’t be any more different at the moment.
The Merseysiders are competing for every single trophy possible whilst the Old Trafford outfit are just about competing for Champions League qualification.
It’s hard to argue against Saunders’ point that if we’re wanting to bring a player in of a similar ability to Mane, then any potential signing will cost the club a serious amount of money.
When you look at our strongest XI on paper, we have a world-class player in almost every position, but with a number of our star approaching the end of their current deals, the club must decide whether to pay them the wages they feel they deserve or run the risk of losing them.
We can’t alter the wage structure too much though, as other players in the squad may then expect the same treatment.
It’s certainly a tricky situation for the owners to control, but one thing is clear, no player is bigger than the club.
#Ep53 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: The Paris debacle, reviewing Liverpool’s season… & more!