Jurgen Klopp has delivered a heartfelt plea to Mohamed Salah, urging the Egyptian star to commit to a new contract at Liverpool. The German manager, who brought Salah to Anfield from Roma in 2017, praised the winger’s extraordinary contributions to the team and expressed his desire for the 32-year-old to remain with the club.
Klopp’s praise for Salah
Salah’s incredible form this season has kept him among the top attacking players in world football, yet his contract is set to expire in the summer, and he has not yet agreed to new terms with Liverpool. Klopp, however, is hoping to see the prolific forward stay with the club for years to come.
“I hope he stays,” Klopp said in a press briefing on Tuesday. “He is Liverpool’s best striker in modern times and they’ve had many great ones. A fantastic player, a fantastic professional. Absolutely outstanding. The best ambassador Egypt could have.”
With Salah’s future uncertain, Klopp’s comments underline just how much the player means to the team, as well as to the club’s identity.
Klopp reflects on key players and contract situations
During the same media session, Klopp also spoke about other key players, including Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, whose contracts with Liverpool are also nearing their end. Klopp acknowledged the challenges of managing such situations, especially when it comes to high-profile players like Salah, Alexander-Arnold, and Van Dijk.
He shared his thoughts humorously: “Only the Egypt journalist and Liverpool journalist ask five questions in one. I’m so happy they’re doing well. I’m in contact with Arne Slot and some players through texting. Maybe the best balanced team in the world right now. I’m really, really happy about that. I’m so happy I’m not in charge in that situation and have to answer these questions now.”
Klopp added that, ideally, he would love to see all three players extend their contracts, though he admitted that he has not been informed of their decisions.
Klopp’s reflections on his time at Liverpool
As the briefing continued, Klopp took a moment to reflect on his time at Liverpool, highlighting his involvement in the club’s infrastructure and culture. He explained how he’s always been dedicated to improving not only the team’s performance but also the club’s environment as a whole.
“Liverpool had its problems. Building a new training ground, I was always involved, but the only thing we cut off was matches. I was always interested in infrastructure, culture. I knew a part of the success and dealt with big defeats because of the culture within the club,” Klopp said.
He emphasized the importance of continuous improvement: “You can improve that and you need an outside view. If you do so much, you can’t do it in a certain way, you change it for better. I see myself as an advisor. We are ready to go, improve ourselves and improving people those around us.”