Jurgen Klopp pins colours to mast over Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future
Jurgen Klopp has pinned his colours to the mast over Mohamed Salah’s contract situation at Anfield and claimed the Liverpool striker is “very happy”.
The Egypt star has started the season in terrific form blasting nine goals in all competitions. And at 29 he shows no signs of slowing down and looks on track to add a third Premier League Golden Boot to his collection.
Salah has scored 134 Liverpool goals in 212 games for Liverpool – stats which Klopp has labelled “absolutely crazy”.
However, despite being a talismanic figure for the Reds, his future remains unclear.
His contract is due to expire in 2023 and if the Reds cannot tie him down to longer terms, they would be at risk of losing him for a cut-price fee – or nothing at all.
FSG have not been keen on offering extended contract to players over 30 in recent years. Gini Wijnaldum was not handed a new contract last season and left on a free transfer to join PSG.
Now a Football Insider source has claimed that club bosses want to end the contract uncertainty with an agreement before the January window opens.
The club are said to be preparing a package worth £350,000-a-week plus bonuses. A deal that would almost double his current £200,000-a-week deal and comfortably make Salah the highest paid player at Anfield.
Salah reportedly wants a three-year extension, which would see him earn £82m over the whole contract. An offering which would see FSG shatter the club’s strict wage structure.
And it’s pretty safe to say Klopp is in the ‘yes’ camp over a new deal for Salah at Anfield.
“The numbers he produces are absolutely completely crazy – you just have to say that. It’s madness,” Klopp told Sky Deutschland in a wide-ranging interview.
“He is very often available for a winger because he has his body in a top position. Constitution holds, which is of course also necessary.
“And accordingly he is definitely one of the best players in the world at the moment, no ifs or buts. And not only at the moment, but of course for a long time. He is very happy at the moment, and that’s how it works – and so am I. ”
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Klopp incensed by ‘crazy’ Nations League
Klopp also took a swipe at the Nations League, which France recently won.
“It’s crazy what we’re doing there. In the summer there will be four Nations League games again, which is crazy,” said Klopp.
“We said at the time when the Nations League was introduced that it would be a complete game. The reason was that there are too many meaningless games, there are so many friendlies.
“But since the competition is there, there is no way to take a game out. All the associations have counted themselves in. The player though has to pay for it, this is absolute madness.
“It is not okay for it to be done that way. This greed is carried out on the back of the players. I didn’t know there was a game for third place in the Nations League. That does makes no sense. With the requirements for the players that is not possible. ”
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