Is Mohamed Salah’s Legacy at Liverpool in Jeopardy? Rooney’s Shocking Take on His Final Season

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[SPOTV News reporter Park Dae-sung] Wayne Rooney urged Liverpool to leave Mohamed Salah out of the squad for the club’s final home match this season, saying the dressing-room atmosphere feels like players are deliberately going through the motions.

On May 19 (KST), the BBC reported that after Liverpool’s 2-4 loss to Aston Villa, Salah posted on social media: “We must return to heavy-metal attacking football that opponents fear. That’s the football I know how to play, and it’s an identity we must restore and protect forever. This is non-negotiable, and everyone who joins this club must adapt to it.”

Many interpreted that as a direct criticism of manager Arne Slot, and it sparked a backlash. Salah scored 257 goals across nine years at Liverpool and helped the club win six trophies, but he is set to leave at the end of this season.

On his BBC program The Wayne Rooney Show, Rooney said, “It’s bitter to see Salah’s time and achievements at Liverpool end like this. He had no reason to publicly take another shot at Slot.”

He added, “Salah wants heavy-metal football — basically Jurgen Klopp’s style. But I don’t think Salah can sustain that anymore. His mobility has declined; he can’t cope with that high tempo and intensity.”

Rooney continued, “If I were Slot, I would have kept Salah away from the stadium on the final matchday. I’ve been there with Sir Alex Ferguson — we clashed, and because of that I was left out of Ferguson’s final Old Trafford squad.”

Rooney sharply criticized Salah’s actions: “He effectively threw a grenade and signaled he doesn’t trust Slot. He’s leaving teammates who will remain to deal with the situation next season in an awkward position.”

Salah told reporters last December that his relationship with Slot had broken down.

A four-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, Salah scored 29 goals in the 2024–25 season — Slot’s first — to help Liverpool win the title, but he has not matched that form this season.

Rooney said, “Salah has been very poor this season, so it looks like he’s trying to justify himself and find comfort. Doing this twice is very selfish. Fans will likely side with Salah, but speaking as someone who’s been in similar situations, he knows exactly what he’s doing.”

He added, “The target was the manager. You can’t openly snub him twice and expect it to pass. If I were Slot, I’d assert my authority and tell Salah, ‘Whether you like it or not, don’t show your face near Anfield on Saturday.’ I’m not sure Slot will actually do that, but he should.”

Rooney continued, “Of course Salah deserves a proper send-off, but should he get one after this behavior? This is the second time. It’s a shame to see one of the Premier League’s great icons leave under this cloud.”

Rooney was cautious about Slot’s job security. “You notice the biggest change when you visit Anfield. In the past, as the away team your first job was to quiet the home crowd,” he said. “Now Liverpool aren’t playing pressing football, and they’re effectively silencing their own supporters and frustrating fans.”

Asked about Slot’s future, Rooney said, “I’m torn. He guided them to the league title last season, so it’s not fair to judge him on this campaign alone. He should be given a bit more time.”

Finally, Rooney added, “I’m careful and uncomfortable saying this, but some players look like they’re downing tools. For a manager, seeing or sensing that is a huge problem.” He expressed concern about the state of Liverpool’s locker room.