EXCLUSIVE
Simon Jordan believes Mohamed Salah is not as good as everyone makes him out to be.
Salah is undoubtedly a Liverpool legend having helped them win the Premier League and Champions League, as well as other trophies, during his seven seasons at the club.
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The 32-year-old’s record has been impressive since joining from Roma in 2017, scoring 210 times in 346 games, making him the club's third-highest goalscorer. That includes 154 for the Reds in the Premier League.
However, former Crystal Palace owner Jordan is willing to risk the wrath of Liverpool fans by revealing his self-confessed unpopular opinion.
There has been plenty of speculation about whether Salah will leave this summer, with the Egyptian having one-year left on his current contract.
The Saudi Pro League made an audacious £150million offer last summer, but again rumours are swirling about.
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A touchline bust-up with Jurgen Klopp at West Ham on Saturday only fuelled speculation of an exit.
talkSPORT understands, though, that Liverpool remain confident he will stay and sign a new deal.
Jordan told talkSPORT: “You question whether you would have had this if Klopp was going to be there in perpetuity.
“I know this is controversial and people are going to tell me what a clown I am and I should ride around in a clown car, but I’m not a fan of Mo Salah.
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“I don’t think he’s as good as people make him out to be. I think he dives, I think he can be a fair weather player.
“I know this will sound ridiculous to people and will make me incredibly unpopular by saying it, obviously he’s scored lots of goals, but when the going gets tough some people stand up and fight and some people don’t.
“I get this feeling that Salah can be one of those. It’s an opinion.”
Jordan also believes that Liverpool would not risk losing him on a free transfer next summer.
He continued: “Unless Liverpool are going to get him to sign a new contract, which has to be a prerequisite of him staying, then they are potentially handing over a lot of money.
“People don’t run their club that way. If you look at the way Liverpool have spent in the last half a decade, they have spent €500million. Manchester City and Arsenal have spent nearly €800million.
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“Liverpool tend to do it on the basis of how much they can get in. I don’t see a situation where Salah walks out the door in a year’s time.
“I don’t see Salah signing a new long-term contract either. There’s a huge opportunity for him to be the first Muslim of superstar status to play in that league.
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“I know there’s a relationship between the Saudis and the Egyptians, which doesn’t make Egyptians the highest on the food chain ethnically.
“If you want to sell him, you’re hardly going to say he’s up for sale in the last year of his contract.”