Mohamed Salah has scored 10 goals and assisted four more this season, contributing to a goal every 74 minutes he has played. For Liverpool, these numbers are absolutely no surprise.
“Does that give him motivation or something?” Jurgen Klopp joked at today’s press conference about the Etihad’s summer transfer bid for the Egyptian, which is worth around £185m USD (£150m/€173m). “You said an offer was received? And what happened? It was rejected for football reasons.”
Liverpool know there is no point in letting Salah leave, especially at the end of the transfer window. Even if the Saudi Professional League generates interest early in the summer, finding a replacement would be nearly impossible.
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“It doesn’t matter,” Klopp continued. “Mo’s here. Mo’s never come to me and doesn’t want to leave. To be honest, I don’t think much about it. Should we or shouldn’t we? Yes, he’s here. He’s feeling really good and you can see he’s enjoying it There are many teams.
“He played the last 105 minutes. His last game was as a nine. He was in great form. On the pitch, in terms of scoring goals, everyone can see it. I would say, off the pitch, his form Even better.”
“He’s really positive. He loves being around the boys and sees a lot of potential in the boys and wants to get something out of it to maximize that potential. There are other things I never thought about and hope I don’t “Will” t “don’t have to”.
It’s clear – and for obvious reasons – that Klopp wants to keep Salah around for as long as possible. As people have been saying for as long as they can remember, the attackers are showing no signs of slowing down.
Salah is already 31 – and Salah won’t turn 32 until next summer, when he has just one year left on his contract – and the Reds’ No.11 has many more years left in the top flight. ball. For example, if his Liverpool contract is not extended beyond 2025, it means he has only one chance to win the Champions League again, and this seems to be just the beginning of his ambitions.
Playing centrally rather than out wide against Bournemouth also felt like a good way to maintain his level. As Cristiano Ronaldo discovered, in this position he can preserve a bit of his legs while still being able to deliver a world-class finishing touch.
As Liverpool.com has previously written, Salah has changed his game significantly. Just as Lionel Messi did in his 30s, with the Liverpool man now more of a playmaker and creator than a scorer, this reinvention will also It helps him.
A more diverse and well-rounded game will give him more opportunities to develop, even if his pace may diminish. Currently, few attackers can claim to be on his level.
That means the contract call should be obvious over the coming months as Salah’s next move at Anfield is decided. Klopp knows this and everyone else should too.