Wayne Rooney unloads harsh criticism on Mohamed Salah after his statements: ‘He is completely destroying his legacy at Liverpool’

Although Mohamed Salah has become a true legend at Liverpool, his tenure with the team has not met expectations. After sitting on the bench for three consecutive games, the Egyptian openly expressed his frustration about the situation, hinting at a possible departure from the Reds. In response, Premier League legend Wayne Rooney criticized the veteran’s behavior, clearly outlining the potential consequences on his legacy.

“He’s completely destroying his legacy at Liverpool. It would be sad if he threw it all away. He’s completely wrong. Arne Slot has to show his authority, take him aside and say, ‘You’re not traveling with the team, what you said is unacceptable’… I’m sure in a couple of weeks he’ll regret what he said. He hasn’t been at his best this season, and what you want to see is him rolling up his sleeves and saying, ‘Now you’ll see.’,” Wayne Rooney said, via BBC podcast.

Salah might disagree with Rooney’s harsh remarks, but they resonate with the majority of fans. While the Egyptian star has firmly established himself as one of Liverpool’s all-time greats, his reaction was seen as showing an unacceptable sense of superiority over the team at the Reds. Moreover, the veteran is not having his best season; he’s scored five goals and provided three assists in 19 games, drawing criticism from supporters.

Among the Egyptian’s comments that infuriated fans the most was his assertion that he didn’t need to fight for his place daily since he had already earned it. Mohamed Salah may have cemented his name in Liverpool’s history, but that doesn’t mean he should be an undisputed starter as Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz are currently in better form. Therefore, Wayne Rooney is urging Salah to prove that he can turn his situation rather than leave.

Has Salah played his last Liverpool game? Arne Slot’s unclear answer

Far from calming things down, Arne Slot has taken the forceful measure of leaving Mohamed Salah out of Liverpool’s squad for the game against Inter Milan. With this, the Egyptian’s future seems distant from Anfield, opening the door to a possible exit from the team in January 2026. In this context, the coach gave a weird answer when asked about the veteran’s future with the Reds, hinting at his decision.

“I have no clue, I cannot answer that question in this moment in time,” Arne Slot said in today’s press conference. Even if he decided to remain unconclusive on his answer, not confirming the continuity of Mohamed Salah might hint his departure. Nonetheless, the coach opened the door for a potential return of the veteran: “I’m a firm believer there’s always a possibility to return for a player,” he said, making it clear that his possible return depends solely on the Egyptian.

In case Mohamed Salah decides not to change his stance on his comments, he could be risking an exit from the team in the summer of 2026, since Liverpool do not plan to sell him in January 2026, reports The Athletic. With this, the Egyptian’s continuity at Anfield depends on his ability to put his ego aside and show his best version, something that has not been seen in the 2025–26 season.