Arne Slot reveals role Liverpool players can have in Mohamed Salah contract talks | OneFootball

Liverpool manager Arne Slot says his players must step up and match the levels of Mohamed Salah, who is no closer to signing a new contract at Anfield.

Salah is enjoying one of the best individual seasons of his career, scoring 30 goals and providing 21 assists across all competitions. He became the first Premier League player to both score and create a goal in 11 different games in a given season on Sunday, leading Liverpool past Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium to extend their advantage over Arsenal at the top to 11 points.

The Egyptian has now scored 30 goals or more in five of his eight seasons at Anfield and has long-secured his status as a club legend. But there's a huge concern that Salah, whose current contract is up in the summer, may opt to walk away on a high – Premier League title success now looks a given, barring a dramatic late collapse, and the Reds have looked strong in the Champions League.

Liverpool have not given up hope that Salah will sign a new contract – talks are continuing between the two parties – and Slot was again asked about the future of his talisman ahead of Wednesday's clash with Newcastle United.

The Dutchman is desperate for Salah to stay, but revealed that he may need help from his other players in helping to convince the 32-year-old that doing so would be the right thing.

"You can look at that in both ways because the better he does the more expensive he may become but if he was doing bad, we would be having second thoughts about extending his contract," Slot said, asked if his superb form was hampering talks.

"I think for everyone it is the best that he brings in the performances he is now.

"Maybe for the one that has to pay him it isn't the best but for everyone else it is the best because if you want to play at this club you need to be at his level otherwise you are almost useless to play at this club.

"We only need players that are at the top of their game because this is one of the best if not the best club in the world to play for. He needs to have these performances to play here and hopefully to extend here."

Liverpool are also hoping that Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold will sign new contracts, though the latter remains a priority target for 15-time Champions League winners Real Madrid and is expected to pursue a new challenge away from his boyhood club.