Rooney on Salah's decline: 'Age gets to us all and your legs go'

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Martin Macdonald | Author

Wayne Rooney knows more than anyone the pain that Mohamed Salah is going through at the moment.

In the 2024/25 season, the Egyptian was still one of the greatest players in the world and recorded the most combined goals and assists in a single 38-game Premier League campaign with 47.

Andy Cole and Alan Shearer contributed to 47 goals in the 1993/94 and 1994/95 seasons, respectively, but that was over 42 games.

Salah's decline the next year has been drastic, with just 13 goal contributions in 25 league matches so far. While Liverpool as a whole have defended their title with a whimper this season, a large factor in their underperformance is that they don't have Salah to rely upon for a flurry of goals anymore.

In March, the player himself and Liverpool confirmed that he would leave the club at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, with his next destination unknown.

Salah announced his decision in a two-minute video on social media, while the Reds confirmed his impending departure with the following statement: "Mohamed Salah is to bring the curtain down on his illustrious career with Liverpool FC at the end of the 2025-26 season.

"The forward has reached an agreement with the Reds that will see him close a remarkable nine-year chapter at Anfield. Salah expressed his wish to make this announcement to the supporters at the earliest possible opportunity to provide transparency about his future due to his respect and gratitude for them.

"Signed from AS Roma in the summer of 2017, the No.11 has firmly established himself as one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history, helping the club to two Premier League titles, the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups, as well as an FA Community Shield.

"His tally of 255 goals in 435 appearances to date has the Egyptian sitting third on the Reds’ all-time leading goalscorers chart, winning the Premier League Golden Boot on four occasions in addition to a host of personal accolades.

"With plenty still left to play for this season, Salah is firmly focused on trying to achieve the best possible finish to the campaign for Liverpool and, therefore, the time to fully celebrate his legacy and achievements will follow later in the year when he bids farewell to Anfield."

It has been sad to see Salah's decline, but it happens to every elite player in their twilight years. Just ask Wayne Rooney, once the golden boy of Man Utd, he sought a move to Everton for first-team football as age crept up on him at Old Trafford.

"The hardest thing for a player is to understand you may be not at the level you were," Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show.

"I did it at Manchester United when Zlatan Ibrahimovic came in and I wasn't playing. I wanted to play so I left straight away. I accepted it.

"I said this since the start of the season, age gets to us all and your legs go.

"I think that's happened to Salah this season and Virgil van Dijk hasn't been the same this season. They are the leaders in the dressing room. It's hard for the other players to go and leave their mark or become the leaders.

"I don't think he [Van Dijk] will [leave] but you've seen players when they've stayed there for too long."

Salah has long been tipped for a move to the Saudi Pro League and Liverpool rejected a massive bid from an unnamed Saudi side in 2024 before the player signed a contract extension.

A Saudi move could still happen, but there is also reported interest in him from Turkey and from Major League Soccer sides.

He went off injured against Crystal Palace last weekend and there was speculation that it might have been his last game for the club, due to the handful of fixtures remaining.

However, the Reds have confirmed they expect him to return for a send-off before the conclusion of the campaign.

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