Wayne Rooney picks out Premier League star as current best player in the world

Wayne Rooney has named the footballer that he believes is currently the best player in the world, with the Manchester United icon selecting a current Liverpool star

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has branded Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah the “best in the world right now”.

Salah has been a prolific goalscorer since he joined Liverpool from Roma back in 2017 and the 32-year-old is currently enjoying one of his best campaigns, having netted 32 goals and provided 22 assists so far this season.

And Rooney believes that no other footballer is on Salah’s level at the moment. Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, Rooney told Amazon Prime: ” Mo Salah, in my opinion, is the best in the world right now, he doesn’t always come back and you can get away with that [at his level].”

Salah recently moved third on Liverpool’s all-time top scorer list, overtaking Gordon Hodgson with his brace in Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday, and he is among the frontrunners to win this year’s Ballon d’Or.

When asked about Salah’s chances of winning the award for the first time in his career, Liverpool boss Arne Slot hinted a Champions League trophy may be needed: “It’s mostly about attackers but the last winner was a midfielder. Good thing Mo is in discussion as that means he is doing well and that means we are doing well.

“In general, someone who wins the Ballon d’Or needs to win something as well. What I liked a lot is that he takes this challenge with a big goal and assist vs [Manchester] City but his defensive work-rate in the second half particularly was outstanding.

“If we as a team win something he has a far better chance to win the Ballon d’Or. It would make his chance only bigger (if we win the Champions League) but the last one who won it didn’t.

“It’s not just about the amount of prizes you win, but most of the ones who won the league or Champions League. But football is always like this – you need the team to win an individual prize. But Mo understands that.”

However, Salah’s hopes of a second Champions League crown were dashed on Tuesday night as Liverpool crashed out to PSG after a penalty shootout. He scored his spot-kick, but misses from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott proved decisive with Salah in tears after the tie was decided.

And ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand was another who felt that European honours would be needed if Salah was to be crowned the world’s best player.

He said: “I think it would be very difficult to win it [Ballon d’Or] without winning the Champions League unless he goes on an unreal run and scores one or two goals in every knockout game.

“Cristiano Ronaldo had two or three incredible seasons in the Premier League, but only won it the year he won the Champions League [2008/09].”

Salah’s long-term future remains up in the air, though, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season. It remains to be seen if he will sign an extension, having stated in December that an agreement remains “far away”.

“We are far away from that,” Salah told Sky Sports. “I don’t want to put something in the media and people start saying stuff, but nothing really [has] moved on but for now I’m focused on the team and hopefully we win the Premier League.”

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