Mohamed Salah has spoken publicly again about his contract situation at Liverpool, saying “we are far away from any progress”, while Reds boss Arne Slot insisted Trent Alexander-Arnold is fully committed to the club following Real Madrid’s approach.
Ruben Amorim revealed Manchester United are to trigger their one-year option to keep Harry Maguire at the club next season and Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta have been talking about the possibility of January transfer business for Manchester City and Arsenal.
Ta-ra Salah?
Having entered January with no new contract with Premier League leaders Liverpool signed and still on one that expires in the summer, Salah is now eligible to discuss a pre-contract deal with European clubs.
And when asked in an interview with Sky Sports whether he believed his time with the Merseyside outfit was coming to an end, he said: “So far, yeah. It’s the last six months. We are far away from any progress, so we just need to wait and see.”
The Egypt forward also made clear he refuses to be “concerned or stressed” by the situation and is determined to enjoy the remainder of a season in which he has registered 17 goals and 13 assists in the league to date.
Alexander-Arnold is on a contract that runs out at the end of the campaign as well and, after Real this week had an approach for the England right-back rebuffed, boss Slot told a press conference ahead of Sunday’s home clash with Manchester United: “He is fully committed to us and he will play on Sunday.”
More Maguire
Ruben has confirmed that the one-year option on @HarryMaguire93's contract will be exercised 🙌#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 3, 2025
Also heading towards the end of his contract this summer was Maguire, who under former manager Erik ten Hag lost the United captaincy and fell down the pecking order.
But he has found a new lease of life since Ten Hag was succeeded by Amorim, and the Portuguese said at his pre-match press conference that the centre-back would be staying beyond this season, with Amad Diallo “near” to agreeing a new deal.
There was also an update on Marcus Rashford, an unused substitute for the 2-0 loss to Newcastle on Monday after being left out of the previous four matchday squads.
Regarding the forward, who last month told journalist Henry Winter he was “ready for a new challenge”, Amorim said: “It’s the same situation. At the moment he is ill. He is not training. We will see but I think this week he is out.”
Guardiola says injury-hit City must be “wise” in January
City are not expected to have any of their injury absentees back when they host West Ham on Saturday, with the likes of Ruben Dias, John Stones and Ederson still out.
The league champions, currently sixth, have a sidelined list that also includes Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in September, and on potential reinforcements in January, boss Guardiola said: “It will not be easy. Maybe we sign, maybe we don’t sign anyone.
“I think the club has to be wise. Don’t do it for (the sake of) doing it, just to add players. Of course, for the situation that we have the club has to do it, but I don’t know if it will be possible to do it.”
Arteta: “The focus is on what we have”
Arteta, whose second-placed Arsenal went into the weekend six points behind Liverpool having played a game more, suggested at his press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Brighton that the Gunners signing a striker in January was unlikely.
“I am very happy with the players we have and when you look at the amount of goals that we have scored, too, it is more than enough to win the Premier League,” he said.
“If something extraordinary is on the market that we can afford and we think they will have a real impact on the team, we have to be open for that possibility always. But at the moment, the focus is on what we have.”
What’s on today?
As well as the Arsenal and City matches, Saturday’s Premier League action also includes Chelsea playing at Crystal Palace, in-form Newcastle facing Tottenham in north London and Aston Villa hosting second-bottom Leicester.
In the Championship, table-toppers Leeds are at Hull and second-placed Burnley take on Derby rivals Blackburn at Ewood Park.
