Jurgen Klopp has outlined his desire for Mo Salah to extend his contract at Liverpool, praising the Egyptian as “the biggest striker LFC had in modern times.”
Salah is yet to agree terms regarding a new contract, though with agent Ramy Abbas Issa on Merseyside earlier this month the hope is that a breakthrough will be made soon.
But until an announcement is made there will remain a very real fear that the No. 11 will depart the club on a free transfer at the end of the season.
That would certainly be premature, with Salah arguably in the form of his life this season and, having scored 21 goals in 28 games, now cemented as the fourth-highest goalscorer in Liverpool history.
The majority of his 232 goals for the club came under Klopp, who left Anfield in the summer and has now officially begun his role as Red Bull’s Global Head of Football.
Speaking at his first press conference in the job on Tuesday, the legendary former Liverpool manager was asked his view on Salah’s future.
“I hope he stays,” was Klopp’s answer.
“That’s the biggest striker LFC had in modern times. Obviously they had other good strikers, really good strikers.
“But fantastic player, fantastic human being, outstanding athlete, best ambassador [Egypt] could have, fantastic really pretty much in all departments.
“So I hope he will stay at Liverpool.”
Naturally it is unlikely that Klopp’s opinion will bear weight when it comes to either Liverpool or Salah deciding to accept the other’s position in contract negotiations.
But it echoes the overall feeling from outside the club that it would be a monumental error if they were to allow the 32-year-old to leave.
Though there was a perception that Klopp and Salah left things on a sour note, following their public disagreement on the touchline against West Ham, that is clearly not the case.
Speaking to Sky Sports earlier this month, the winger said: “We text more now in the last three months than we have in the last seven years.
“Honestly, seriously, we’ve text more in the last three months than we have in the last seven years, I promise.”
Unsurprisingly, no player throughout Klopp’s entire coaching career has scored more goals (211) or laid on more assists (88) than Salah, who also clocked the most minutes on the pitch for the manager (28,267).
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