Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool's contract talks with Mo Salah 'need time' but both sides want to extend

ByMattias Karen

Updated 06/12/2021 at 18:18 GMT

Jurgen Klopp remains confident that Mohamed Salah will extend his Liverpool contract but warned fans that the ongoing talks may drag out a while longer. Klopp said both sides want to reach a deal but that "things like this need time, that's it." Salah said this weekend that it up was to Liverpool to meet his demands, amid interest from Barcelona.

Jurgen Klopp has pleaded for patience when it comes to Liverpool’s contract talks with Mohamed Salah.

Klopp insisted that both sides want to reach a deal for an extension but warned that negotiations with a player of Salah’s stature ”need time” before anything gets finalised.

Klopp was responding to Salah’s comments made in an interview with Egyptian TV this weekend when the star forward said it was up to Liverpool to meet his demands.

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"We are talking. Extending a contract with a player like Mo is not a thing you do and you meet for a cup of tea in the afternoon and find an agreement. That’s completely normal,” Klopp said ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League game at AC Milan on Tuesday.

Mo is fine, I’m fine. I think what we all want is clear and things like this need time, that’s it.

Salah leads the Premier League with 13 goals and nine assists in 15 games this season and is a big reason why Liverpool are challenging for the title once again. But his future at Anfield remains unclear.

• Salah says it's up to Liverpool to sort contract
• Salah double sees Liverpool down Everton

The Egyptian said he was flattered by Barcelona’s interest in signing him and hinted that he wants to see Liverpool strengthen the squad further before penning a new deal.

“Your financial value shows how much the club appreciates you and that they are ready to do anything for you to stay, but the decision itself is not based on those financial matters only,” the 29-year-old said. “There are things like the ambition of the team and the coach and what he wants to do with the team and the players he wants. These are all important points when making the decision."

Salah could get a rest on Tuesday, with Klopp saying he will rotate his squad heavily for the Milan game. The Reds have already secured first place in Group B of the Champions League after winning their first five games.

"We have to rotate, that's clear. The medical department would smash me if I played the same side again so we will make changes," Klopp said. "We have played five games in 15 days, which is a lot and after the Milan game we have to play pretty much the same number of games in a similar amount of time, so we have to make the right decisions and we will."

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