'I spoke to him direct': Steven Gerrard shares what he told Mo Salah after his controversial interview in December

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Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future was thrown into doubt after the 3-3 draw with Leeds United at the back end of 2025.After being benched by Arne Slot for yet another Premier League fixture, Salah hit out in a mixed-zone interview shortly after the meeting at Elland Road.It led to the Egyptian being axed from the squad against Inter Milan in the following game, and Steven Gerrard has now revealed that he told the 33-year-old not to leave under a cloud. Nine years of sheer brilliance are coming to an end… Photo Credit: Getty Images/Stuart Franklin – UEFA/Michael Regan Steven Gerrard urged Mohamed Salah not to leave Liverpool on bad termsGerrard discussed Salah on Stick to Football this week, where he also commented on becoming Liverpool manager and Slot’s future at Anfield.On the Reds winger and his aforementioned interview, he said: “He [Salah] obviously had a disagreement with the manager.

Obviously, he’s done the interview, which I think he’ll regret, further down the line.“But that told me that there was an issue there. I think also, even going back before that, I think Liverpool as a club probably only wanted to give Mo Salah one year rather than the two because he had such an outstanding season and he was relentless and his numbers were great.“They have given him a two-year, but for me I only really ever seen it as another one year at that level.

So I spoke to him around that interview at the time and sort of said to him, ‘look, don’t do what you’ve done and go under a cloud.’ Yeah, I spoke to him direct, yeah.”Who Steven Gerrard thinks could replace Mohamed SalahAfter that interview, Salah returned to the squad against Brighton before leaving Liverpool to compete at the AFCON.Upon arriving back in England, the club legend has since started every game for the Reds, but is now leaving at the end of the 2025/26 campaign anyway.Gerrard commented on how to replace Salah shortly after the news was made official last week.He said: ”I like Summerville. In a team that has struggled he has been a shining light and got better as the season has gone on.”I really like Bowen and think he is a top player but I am not sure he is Salah’s level to replace him.”West Ham United are currently in the relegation zone, and if they go down, their top stars may well be open to moving in the 2026 summer transfer window.But whether Liverpool think either player is good enough to replace Salah remains to be seen.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox