Keane Warns Salah Exit Could Turn "Nasty" as Wright Backs Slot's Relief at Forward's Departure

Roy Keane is bracing for Mohamed Salah's Liverpool farewell to get messy, with Ian Wright suggesting Arne Slot will be quietly pleased to see the back of him.

The pair have weighed in following Salah's Tuesday announcement that he'll depart Anfield on a free transfer when his contract expires at season's end. Despite being tied to the club until 2027, both Liverpool and the Egyptian have concluded a parting of ways suits everyone best—particularly given his marked downturn this campaign.

Once a Premier League titan, Salah has struggled to accept a reduced role under Slot, even clashing publicly with his manager during the current term.

Wright reckons the Liverpool boss won't lose sleep over the situation. "It must be easier for Slot," the former Arsenal striker said on the Stick to Football podcast. "He's constantly worrying: 'If I leave him out, if he's on the bench, what's he going to be like?' The drama whenever Salah hits the bench—is he coming on, won't he come on? I reckon Slot will be happy."

Yet there's a thorny question hanging over proceedings: the timing. Keane is particularly concerned about announcing such a bombshell mid-season rather than waiting until the summer.

"I'm not sure it's ideal," Keane explained. "Why not just hold fire until the end of the season?"

He drew parallels with previous situations, pointing to the Old Trafford farewell noise last year before a player's contract renewal. If Liverpool's form dips further and Salah's performances falter—especially if they stumble in cup competitions—the narrative could flip quickly.

"Say things go pear-shaped in the final weeks and they don't achieve anything in the cups, and he's not performing," Keane continued. "The talk will be 'he's already checked out, his heart's not in it'. That's when it turns nasty.

"A lap of honour works when you're Arsenal fighting for the title, when you're genuinely winning the league. But Liverpool aren't in that position. I don't see why you don't just wait, finish the job, then say your goodbyes.

"Liverpool have got enough on their plate without turning this into a circus act like last season became. The supporters can turn if he's not delivering, and that's when it gets ugly."