Liverpool hero John Aldridge believes manager Jurgen Klopp is putting the board on notice over Mohamed Salah's contract talks.
Klopp made his comments last month as talks continue over extending Salah's contract, that is due to expire in the summer of 2023.
"For me, he is the best player at the moment. It's incredible," said Klopp. "His consistency is absolutely incredible, and he's getting better.
"It's how football is (now)… the best players in the world, two-three years ago, were 33-34… that's the best age of a footballer.
"You understand the game better, you can judge the pitch better, you can see situations long before they will happen."
In reaction, Aldridge told the Sunday World: "Klopp was very clever when he suggested Mohamed Salah will be at his best in three or four years time and make no mistake, that was a nudge to Liverpool's owners over this contract problem.
"The money that has been injected into football in recent years has polluted the sport in too many ways, but the end result is Liverpool will now need to pay their main man big money to keep him.
"If they don't pay him the money he is due, Salah would have every right to look elsewhere and the club's supporters will never forgive them if the world's best player is allowed to walk away from Anfield.
"It doesn't take a genius to work out that Klopp's comments made it clear that he believes Salah has plenty of years left in him, with this idea that players are past it when they hit their 30th birthday no longer applicable."
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