Liverpool journalist on hopes Mo Salah signs new contract extension

Liverpool journalist Neil Jones has provided his expert view on the club's transfer prospects amid increased transfer links, providing insight into what Jurgen Klopp might look to do and what Mohamed Salah's future holds.

The Reds need a centre-back and a defensive midfielder while injuries to both left-backs and Trent Alexander-Arnold have seen more calls for another full-back to be signed.

Attackers continue to be linked with the Reds but Liverpool are not likely to sign one this month.

Neil Jones reports on Liverpool transfer plans and Mohamed Salah contract hopes

Reliable Liverpool journalist Neil Jones reports that it is highly unlikely a new forward will be signed in the January transfer window. Links to Crysencio Summerville, Johan Bakayoko and Kylian Mbappe have cropped up although it's certain none of them, particularly the latter, will join this month.

Additionally, he believes Salah will have taken note of the pitfalls of moving to Saudi Arabia as several ex-Liverpool players are linked with a return to Europe after finding their time in the Pro League to be less than satisfactory.

“I’d be amazed if Liverpool looked to bring in a forward in this window." Jones said" Of course Mohamed Salah is a miss, as is Wataru Endo in midfield, but they still have four high quality attacking options available, with the possibility of using Harvey Elliott and/or Dominik Szoboszlai off the right flank too, if required.

“Liverpool, generally, do not go for such short-termism in their recruitment – and when they have done (Arthur Melo, for example) it tends not to work. They think about the bigger picture, not plugging two-week gaps.

“It’s no surprise to see tons of players linked with Liverpool. It’s the price on the ticket for such a big club, that their name is thrown in whenever a prospect emerges or talk of a transfer starts to ramp up."

Talking in more depth about Salah and how his plans affect Liverpool's own plans Jones said: “Ignoring the specific names for a second, the pertinent question is whether Liverpool will look to sign a forward player in the summer, and whether they need to. If no-one was to leave the club, I’d edge towards ‘no’, but of course if we were to see another summer like the last one, where previously-untouchable players were lured away by the Saudi Pro League, then everything becomes possible.

“Mo Salah’s future, in particular, is one to watch. My personal opinion is that the last six months must have shown him the dangers of moving to Saudi Arabia at this stage of his career, and that he must surely be thinking about the idea of extending his stay in Europe, and at Liverpool. I can’t speak to Salah’s mindset, but I know he’s an ambitious character and that the best place to fulfil those ambitions is not in Riyadh or Jeddah.

“If Salah were to stay, and assuming none of Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz or Diogo Jota were to be sold, I’d say Liverpool are in pretty good shape, attack-wise. The one thing they perhaps lack is a player of sheer speed who can play from the right, and so I understand why links with players such as Neto and Bakayoko persist, but I’m not sure the Reds would be spending £40m+ on those, unless there were players heading out of the door.”