John Barnes questions Mohamed Salah over impact of Liverpool exit timing

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Liverpool legend John Barnes has questioned the timing of Mohamed Salah announcing his exit and believes the Reds should focus on midfield and defence rather than expensive replacements

Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool this summer(Image: Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)

Liverpool icon John Barnes has raised concerns about the timing of Mohamed Salah's departure announcement - and reckons the Reds ought not to fork out enormous salaries when finding his successor.

Salah revealed last week his Anfield chapter will close at season's end, bringing down the curtain on nine years during which he's collected numerous team and personal accolades and climbed to third on the club's all-time scoring list.

The announcement arrives during a season where both the 33 year old and Liverpool have fallen well short of expectations while defending their Premier League crown.

They're fighting hard to secure Champions League football, though they've advanced to the quarter-finals of this year's competition and also booked an FA Cup last-eight tie at Manchester City on Saturday.

Barnes fears Liverpool's ongoing campaigns risk being eclipsed by Salah's extended farewell.

"Well, he's been incredible, hasn't he?" said the ex-Reds winger. "He's been one of the best players Liverpool have ever had.

"In the Premier League, he's up there with Thierry Henry and whoever you want to mention as one of the best players the Premier League has ever seen.

Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool on a free at the end of the season(Image: Getty Images)

"(But) I don't think it was good timing from him. I think we should have really got to the end of the season and then he left, rather than announcing it now, because I don't think that necessarily helps. It doesn't help Liverpool.

"Liverpool aren't doing particularly well, so that is a negative. Does (the announcement) help the manager Arne Slot in terms of the fans loving him (Salah) and he's not playing, he wants to go? That's not really going to help."

With Salah's departure looming, Liverpool are anticipated to bolster their forward line this summer. However, Barnes suggests other positions should take precedence, while maintaining the Reds ought to seek a different type of player to the Egyptian.

Speaking to talkSPORT Breakfast, Barnes added: "In terms of replacements, if you look at what we have, our problem is going forward and scoring goals. (Liverpool have) Ekitike and Isak, we've got Ngumoha, we've still got Gakpo.

"I don't feel that we necessarily have to replace him, because I don't think that the solution is to go and get another player to give him £400,000 a week to replace Mo Salah.

"We have enough strikers, we have enough attackers. Our problem is in midfield and defence. That's really what we have to do. So I don't think we have to go and replace him necessarily. But he's been an incredible footballer for Liverpool, one of the best ever."