00:00Hello everybody, welcome to That's Football. I'm Mark Goldbridge. Is Mo Salah staying at Liverpool next season? That really would
00:06be a shock.
00:07Also, Ronaldo to Chelsea and who are your top three for Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or? In
00:14fact, Bin Ballon d'Or, Player of the Year Premier League, who are your top three?
00:17We're going to delve into that. We like to do a few topics on a Thursday, so let's get into
00:21it.
00:21So, I was on the BBC website earlier on looking at the football page and I saw in their gossip
00:27column that Egypt forward Mo Salah is happy to see out the remainder of his Liverpool contract, which runs up
00:34until the end of next season.
00:36However, if a Saudi move materialises to his liking, he may well shift towards that.
00:43So, this got me thinking. Now, if this was last summer, if I was a Liverpool fan, I'd be quite
00:50happy about that.
00:51I'd be thinking, oh, two more years of Salah. His goals, his assists, his output. We've got him for two
00:56more years.
00:57This year, I'd be like, please go to Saudi. But I don't know because I'm not a Liverpool fan.
01:02So, what are your thoughts? Because my thoughts are, I like Salah. It's hard to say it because as a
01:09United fan, you shouldn't like Liverpool things.
01:10But look, I respected Klopp. I don't like Liverpool, but I respected Klopp.
01:14And I think a lot of people, deep down, probably respected what Sir Alex did at Man United as Liverpool
01:19fans.
01:19I think if you're a lover of football, you can't just be a hater. You have to look at things,
01:24especially when your club's not doing well and go, well, I wish we were doing that.
01:27I wish we had that. And in relation to Mo Salah, he's a Premier League legend.
01:31I mean, he arguably would get into the top 10 Premier League players of all time, even though people always
01:36leave him out of that because of his longevity
01:40and his deliverance of, you know, goals and assists year in, year out, sometimes in a good Liverpool team, sometimes
01:47not in a good Liverpool team.
01:48So, he's been incredible.
01:50But this season, I mean, I watched that game at the weekend against Forest.
01:55We did a live watch on, didn't we?
01:56And when he came off and he was subbed and he's almost doing that, I can't believe it, smile.
02:01And I'm like, but I can believe it. And I'm somebody who doesn't believe it.
02:05I don't believe it. Well, I can believe it. I can believe it, Mo, because I thought you were poor.
02:11I hate saying it because he's such a good player, but he was poor and he's been poor all season.
02:16So, I would look at it if Mo Salah wants to stay for another year because he's got another year
02:20left on his contract.
02:22I would say that is a problem for Liverpool. I would say that, Liverpool fans, what are your thoughts on
02:29it?
02:29Because as an outsider looking in, absolutely got no issues in saying he's one of the greatest players we've had
02:35in the Premier League.
02:36Actually got no issues saying that taking Salah out of Liverpool a year ago, I'd have been, yes, Liverpool are
02:43going to drop off.
02:44But we've visibly seen that drop off this year. The goals, the assists aren't there.
02:48The performances aren't there. And I don't think they're coming back either.
02:51You know, sometimes a player can have an injury or a blip and you know they're going to come back.
02:56I don't think he's going to come back. I likened it to Rooney last weekend.
02:59Rooney in the last couple of years at Man United was not the Rooney we knew and loved.
03:03And it wasn't going to come back and it didn't come back. And I don't think it's coming back with
03:06Salah as well.
03:07So, look, is it a negotiation tactic?
03:10If you don't let me go to Saudi for a decent price, I'll stay for another year and go in
03:14a year's time.
03:15It might be that. It might be that. But I can't see Salah in the Premier League next year.
03:20And maybe Liverpool need to work on that. But I just can't see it.
03:25Unless he's deliberately, and I don't even like saying this, unless he deliberately doesn't like Slott and he's not playing
03:31well on purpose.
03:32Which is incredible. You know, that's just not even worth wasting words on.
03:37I don't think there's a way back. Next story. From reality to fantasy, really.
03:45Chelsea have been linked to Cristiano Ronaldo over the last couple of days.
03:49And, well, I mean, the fact that we're still talking about Ronaldo at 41 is an incredible testament to the
03:59player.
04:00An absolute legend of the game.
04:03The fact that we would even consider talking about Chelsea taking Ronaldo at 41 is, again, a testament to his
04:10longevity, fitness and quality.
04:13And, you know what? If Cristiano Ronaldo was sat there leaving Saudi in the summer after the World Cup going,
04:20you know, I want one more year in the Premier League.
04:22There's a part of me that goes, how high could you pitch him in that he'd do something?
04:27I mean, could he do anything or could he or would it be a waste of time?
04:32But the real thing is, Chelsea desperately need an experienced striker.
04:36We all know that. But Cristiano Ronaldo, even for one year, it just can't happen.
04:41Whether you do it or not, it can't happen.
04:43And look, it would be very, very exciting to see.
04:46If he could offer anything, it would be very interesting to see.
04:49But even when we had him at Man United, he doesn't want to do what most Premier League clubs do
04:54now.
04:55He doesn't want to lead the press and do that, you know, all that running around.
04:59And who would want to do that at 41 when you've achieved everything?
05:03Also, he is under contract at Saudi.
05:05So they would have to pay a transfer fee and then they would have to pay those ridiculous wages.
05:10So I think we can safely say that Cristiano Ronaldo will not play in the Premier League again unless he
05:15wants to self-fund it.
05:17Why would you do that? So I think we can just cover that off and say no.
05:22However, why I mentioned it was because I wanted to say, if Ronaldo did play in the Premier League next
05:29season,
05:29where do you think he could do a job?
05:32Because for me, I think if you stick him up front for someone like Everton,
05:37he's probably going to struggle more than if he's stuck up front for Arsenal.
05:41Because Arsenal, with their pragmatic build-up and dominance of possession, he'd probably do all right.
05:47Whereas Everton, even though it's a lower standard, apparently, there's a lot more running in that.
05:50But it's amazing that he's still playing at 41.
05:53Right, talking about the Premier League, I want your top three Premier League Player of the Year contenders.
06:01Because I've thought about this a lot this season and I think there is a lot of talk of Declan
06:05Rice winning a Ballon d'Or.
06:08Ballon d'Or is not worth talking about.
06:10Ballon d'Or is going to be dependent on who wins the Champions League, who wins their domestic league and
06:14who wins the World Cup.
06:15So Ballon d'Or is a waste of time.
06:16If Argentina win the Ballon d'Or and Messi holds the World Cup up again,
06:20he'd probably win the Ballon d'Or even though he's playing in the MLS.
06:22So the Ballon d'Or is a waste of time.
06:24Premier League Player of the Year, I don't think is.
06:26Because we are approaching the last couple of months of the Premier League and we've got a lot already of
06:31evidence.
06:32And it's always about August to May.
06:34So Declan Rice, I think, has been incredible this season for Arsenal.
06:37And I think he is going to be a strong contender for it.
06:40I also think Arsenal Gabriel has been very, very good as well.
06:43Like, the goals he gets.
06:45I mean, he got an assist the other day, didn't he?
06:47I can't remember where the goal got given when he slipped it into Hincape.
06:50But look, his goal output for a centre-back has been fantastic and they've got the best defence in the
06:55league.
06:55So I think Declan Rice and Gabriel jump out as Arsenal's contenders.
06:59Manchester City, I don't know whether there's a consistent performer for Man City to win it.
07:05Obviously you're going to say Erling Haaland,
07:07but I don't feel like Erling Haaland's done enough to be ahead of Gabriel or Rice, in my opinion.
07:12And then beyond that, lots of good players, but consistently across the season,
07:16I don't really see a Man City player.
07:17Maybe Donnarumma, maybe Donnarumma, to be fair.
07:21Outside of that, Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United.
07:24He's got way more assists than anybody else.
07:26We talk about goals, assists are as important.
07:29And Bruno Fernandes has done that in a very turbulent Man United side.
07:32So I think Bruno's got to be considered.
07:35Outside of that, I feel like I'm missing an obvious one.
07:41Look, Thiago at Brentford scored a lot of goals.
07:45But for me, I think I am locked in on Rice, Gabriel and Bruno as my top three.
07:53And I sort of feel Bruno Fernandes has got a good shout.
07:56I do. I think it's close between those three players.
07:59And if I was pitching it now, I think I'd find it difficult.
08:02But that's my top three.
08:05The order of it, I think so much depends on what happens in the next couple of months.
08:11Man United getting Champions League football.
08:13Arsenal actually winning the league.
08:15I think if Arsenal don't win the league, I'd probably give it Bruno.
08:17If Arsenal do win the league, I might tip towards Declan Rice or Gabriel.
08:21So that's sort of where I am on it.
08:23So let me know your top threes.
08:24Lots to get into.
08:25I love the Thursday show because we're trying to combine three or four themes to comments about.
08:30So let me know.
08:31Salah staying at Liverpool.
08:33Ronaldo, where could he still perform in the Premier League?
08:36Because he ain't going to Chelsea.
08:38And your top three for Premier League Player of the Year.
08:40Thanks for watching, everybody.
08:42Don't forget, tomorrow I'm back with Robbie on Premier League predictions.
08:45Premier League weekend is back.
08:46Some big games as well.
08:47Take care.
08:48Subscribe.
08:49I'll speak to you on the next one.
08:50I'll see you on the next one.
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