‘It's just a bit awkward when I have to praise my own players’ – Jurgen Klopp on Mo Salah future

ByEurosport

Updated 28/02/2021 at 11:48 GMT

Mohamed Salah raised eyebrows just before Christmas last year when he flirted with Barcelona and Real Madrid by talking up the quality of the two giants of Spanish football. Jurgen Klopp has always insisted the Egypt international forward is happy at Anfield and the German expects him to stay in the long term.

Jurgen Klopp believes Mohamed Salah will be an important player for Liverpool “for a very long time.”

Salah is the club’s leading marksman this term with 17 goals in the Premier League, but his future was cast into doubt after he talked positively about Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Shortly before Christmas, Salah caused a few ripples of unrest on Merseyside when he said:

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“Who knows what will happen in the future, but right now I am focused on winning the Premier League and the Champions League with Liverpool again."

Klopp’s stance has been consistent in the months following Salah’s comments, with the German of the opinion that the Egypt international remains fully committed to the Reds.

While it’s been a solid season on a personal level for Salah, Liverpool have put up a disappointing defence of their Premier League title.

At 28, Salah is in his peak years and will want to be challenging for silverware; Klopp feels the forward will continue to do that at Liverpool.

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"It's just a bit awkward when I have to praise my own players, which I like to do to be honest, but especially in Mo's case, the numbers speak for themselves," Klopp told the Liverpool Echo.

Mo is not only a goalscorer, he has developed as a footballer as well. He is a very, very important player for us and hopefully he will be that for a very long time of course.

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