Mohamed Salah wants to stay at Liverpool, according to new Reds midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, with manager Jurgen Klopp adding that he is delighted the Egyptian is ‘part of my team’.
Liverpool’s star man Salah has been part of a transfer saga with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, who on Thursday saw an eye-watering £150million bid rejected for the 31-year-old. The big spenders then warned they were willing to break the world transfer record and bid £200m.
But Klopp and the club have long insisted Salah is not for sale – and both Szoboszlai and Klopp moved to allay fears after beating Aston Villa 3-0 at Anfield.
‘He wants to stay here,’ said Szoboszlai, who scored Liverpool’s first before an own goal and a Salah strike.
‘He wants to be here, he wants to stay with us. At the end, he stayed and that’s great news. He’s a top player.’
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is the subject of a £200m interest from Saudi side Al-Ittihad
New Reds midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has claimed the Egyptian wants to stay at the club
Manager Jurgen Klopp bizarrely denied that Salah had told the squad he wanted to stay
Klopp bizarrely denied that Salah had told the squad he wanted to stay, but the manager added: ‘No. He didn’t tell me, but he didn’t have to. He speaks with his training and performances and behaviour. He is completely here and if Dom said that, fine.
‘Mo doesn’t have to come into my office and tell me, ‘By the way, boss… (I’m not going)’.’
The Saudi window is open until Thursday and Al Ittihad were expected to further test Liverpool’s resolve but asked if the club’s position stays the same, Klopp simply said: ‘Yup.’
Salah, who scored 30 goals in all competitions for Liverpool last season, is part of the club’s leadership group and signed a new three-year contract last summer, which made him the highest-paid player in Liverpool history.
Liverpool have already seen a number of players leave for Saudi Arabia with Jordan Henderson giving up the club captaincy to join Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, while Fabinho and Roberto Firmino also secured exits.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and centre back Ibrahima Konate were also the subject of interest but wanted to continue at the Premier League giants.
