Mohamed Salah's contract situation at Liverpool remains a complex issue where there is still plenty to be agreed upon, according to James Pearce.
The Lowdown: Salah's contract concerns
The 29-year-old has undoubtedly been the Reds' star man this season, bagging his 20th Premier League goal of the campaign in Saturday's 2-0 win at Brighton.
Salah's future remains worryingly in doubt, though, with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2023 and rumours suggesting that talks have collapsed over a new contract.
The hope is that the issue is resolved in the near future in order to not affect Liverpool's season, but it is certainly a concerning situation for the time being.
The Latest: Pearce urges caution over new deal for Salah
Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic on Saturday, Pearce said that Liverpool couldn't simply offer Salah whatever he wants, with an effective wage structure in place at the club.
He wrote: "I keep hearing 'just pay him what he wants' but you can't run a business like that. Yes, if you want to keep one of the best players in the world you have to pay him accordingly but you can't just cave in to whatever his agent is demanding."
On the Egyptian's situation, Pearce added: "Nothing has changed. Still a stand-off over what the club are prepared to offer and what Salah wants. Still time for a compromise to be reached. I think the time to worry is if it's still unresolved come May."
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The Verdict: Hugely complex situation
This is a situation which could divide the Liverpool fan base, even though it seems likely that almost every Reds supporter would be desperate for Salah to extend his stay.
On the one hand, the 29-year-old is currently one of the world's best players and should be paid as such, especially with many years hopefully left in him at the top level.
However, as Pearce has hinted, suddenly paying one player vastly more than anyone else could cause an issue with squad harmony, and breaking the bank for an individual who turns 30 this year does carry an element of risk.
Losing Salah would undoubtedly be a huge blow for Liverpool, but if that were to happen, no player is bigger than the club and the Reds would move on without their Egyptian superstar.
In other news, Liverpool are reportedly favourites to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.