The issue is we literally have multiple replacements for Mane's position. We have ZERO for Salah's, no one should be relying on teenagers to replace one of the best goal scorers in premier league history.
If we were City with cash to burn then fine. But I would hazard a bet that there is no way they are going to be able to fund Jude Bellingham, and also fund a replacement that is even anywhere in the vicinity talent wise as Salah. If they can't get him to sign a new deal, he should be sold for as much as they can get and the best quality replacement they can find brought in this window. We can't afford to be indecisive about it unless we want to massively risk sliding back to the pack and just contending for top 4 again.
People can criticise Salah for his second half of the season, and how it was Mane carrying the team during that time. He not only scored 23 goals, he led the league in assists with 13. That's 36 goal contributions. Compared to Mane's 16 goals and 2 assists, for 18 total contributions. The gaping hole he would leave in terms of our attack is a totally different chasm to what Mane leaves, even as important as Mane was with his runs and work rate. I get that you ideally don't want to lose that this coming season, but if it can help fund an elite RW, as opposed to us trying to sign some half rate cheap filler next summer because he leaves for free, I'd rather risk that. Unless the club are confident they have the funds to bring in Bellingham and a potentially top quality expensive replacement next summer.