Liverpool transfer news: Former Red claims Mo Salah was treated "disgustingly" by Jamie Carragher as exit reason revealed

Former Liverpool star Dejan Lovren lambasted Jamie Carragher for the way he treated Mohamed Salah, and he also blamed Arne Slot for the winger's exit.

The 2025-26 season was a troubling one for all associated with the Reds, as not only did the team finish fifth in the Premier League, fans also waved goodbye to legends Andrew Robertson and Mohamed Salah.

Most supporters suspected that the latter would leave Anfield after he had fallen out with sacked boss Arne Slot, so not many were surprised when the club announced that he would be leaving despite having a year to run on his contract.

Lovren criticised how Salah was treated by those in the media, and he claimed that a poor relationship with Slot led to his exit, telling Middle Eastern outlet WinWin: "There was no relationship [with Slot]. I don't know why. Was it pride? Maybe it was a pride issue? Maybe Mo was too big for him to handle.

"[How pundits talked about him was] not harsh, it was disgusting. Why didn't they talk about him like this for the past eight or nine years? Tell me. One season, and then he's the target again. There are so many other issues.

"Some pundits do it just to attract attention, maybe because they haven't succeeded in other areas of their lives, so now they need to perform well. Sometimes people put Mo in the spotlight, and then the easy part is, like I said, especially Carragher, he says whatever he wants."

Lovren was a close friend of Salah's during their time at Anfield together between 2017 and 2020, and he also claimed in the interview that the Egyptian would have stayed at the club if Slot had left before him.

Mo Salah exit: Did Liverpool make a mistake with Egypt star?

Almost every player at Liverpool experienced a regression under Slot in 2025-26, so making sweeping judgements about Salah's level without factoring in the struggles of the team around him would be unfair.

It should be noted that the 33-year-old's production in the final third was in line with other wingers in the Premier League, with his 12 goals and 10 assists for the Reds more than the 11 goals and seven assists that Bukayo Saka totalled for Arsenal.

No player can outrun time, so even if Salah is still able to contribute significantly for another season, building the future of Liverpool around him could be risky, especially as the Merseysiders head into a new era under Andoni Iraola.

Though there is a legitimate argument that the Reds allowed the legendary winger to leave a year too soon, perhaps releasing the forward can help Iraola better plan the long-term future of the club.

Barcelona, Serie A? Who will Mohamed Salah sign for after Liverpool exit?

Whatever club Salah signs for, they will have to pay the winger a significant wage, though they will not have to pay a transfer fee following his exit from Liverpool.

If the 33-year-old stayed in Europe, he may wish to return to Serie A given he spent more than two years in Italy, and the slower pace of the league could suit him.

Barcelona could look to bring him to Spain considering they are on the lookout for a Robert Lewandowski replacement, but he would have to adapt to playing as a striker.

Florentino Perez has won the presidential election at Real Madrid after promising supporters he would sign superstars this summer, and completing a deal for Salah may be relatively straightforward.