Jurgen Klopp has confirmed talks are under way on a new contract for Mohamed Salah as Liverpool look to reward the Egypt international's prolific form and end speculation over his Anfield future.
Salah has two years remaining on his current Liverpool contract, an incentivised deal worth up to £200,000-a-week (€233,000), and would be expected to receive a significant increase given his influence on the team and global status. Liverpool have secured Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold on new long-term extensions recently and Klopp revealed last week that he expects captain Jordan Henderson to follow suit. The Liverpool manager has confirmed he is also involved in efforts to extend Salah’s hugely successful Anfield career.
“I am involved in pretty much everything in the club,” said Klopp, who could be without Fabinho against Burnley on Saturday following the death of the midfielder’s father. “Maybe some talks happen without me but I know about all the things and it’s how it always is.
“We don’t really speak about these kind of things [contract negotiations]. I know we changed that a little bit with Hendo but that doesn’t mean we will talk from now on and tell you about each little step we make in any negotiations. But two things: Mo is obviously in a really good moment football-wise, mood-wise, and how he behaves from the first day he came back is absolutely great. We’re all adults, we’re all professionals, there are talks and when there is a decision we will tell you. Until then it is only important how the parties work together. With two years left you can imagine there are talks and that is it.”
‘Really happy’
Salah became the first player in Premier League history to score in five consecutive opening day fixtures last weekend, when he also provided two assists in the win over Norwich, and is two goals away from registering a century of Premier League goals. Klopp believes the 29-year-old remains driven by breaking records for Liverpool. He added: “I don’t have to explain these things to him, he knows. He is aware of all these things. He enjoys the time here. Breaking records is great and the records he has broken already is absolutely insane.
“I didn’t know last week that when he scored the goal he became the first player in history to score in first game in five consecutive seasons. There’s a reason why no one else did it – it’s really difficult and he did it. And if there are any more records out there he will know about it without changing everything. He just has to play his football.
“I am really happy if he stays like this but I never told him that he could be the one of the biggest LFC legends ever because that is not what you go for. Records, yes, but becoming a legend is something people will judge after your career. He is in a good mood and hopefully it can stay like this.”
- Guardian
