Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he hopes Mohamed Salah will extend his contract with the club.
The Egyptian winger is out of contract in the summer but there is hope on Merseyside that he will agree to extend his stay at Anfield.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Salah continues to excel at Liverpool, scoring 21 goals in 28 appearances this season, becoming the fourth-highest goalscorer in the club’s history along the way.
Speaking at his first press conference as Red Bull’s Global Head of Football, Klopp spoke of Salah’s importance to the club.
He said: “I hope he stays.
“That’s the biggest striker LFC had in modern times. Obviously they had other good strikers, really good strikers.
“But fantastic player, fantastic human being, outstanding athlete, the best ambassador [Egypt] could have, fantastic really pretty much in all departments. So I hope he will stay at Liverpool.”
🗣️ “Fantastic player, fantastic human being”
Jurgen Klopp says that he hopes that Mo Salah stays at Liverpool 🔴 pic.twitter.com/nGIKygzSSO
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 14, 2025
Klopp waved farewell to Liverpool at the end of last season, marking the end of a hugely successful era that saw the Reds win the Premier League, the Champions League and several other pieces of silverware along the way.
His departure came as a shock to the footballing world, with the German declaring that he no longer had the energy to be in the dugout.
Since then, he has taken up a role with Red Bull as their Head of Football, sparking criticism from fans of his former club.
But Klopp has now explained why he accepted his new role away from direct management.
He added: “I always said I loved what I do but the moment when I felt I couldn’t do the job anymore that was it. It was the same at Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool. I am brutally honest with myself.
“It was not only energy. After more than 1,000 games on the sideline, thousands of press conferences I didn’t want to do it anymore. I didn’t want to stop working either, I just wanted to do something different and a new start, and this opportunity gives that.
“I heard things but I didn’t have any plans in this direction. I was focused on being a manager. I wanted to be the best version of myself in that role. When you are in the job I was in for so long, it is super intense.
“Game after game, you keep a specific level and I wasn’t completely happy with that. I wanted to learn new things and when I heard about this role, I knew I would do that.”
Liverpool have excelled since new boss Arne Slot took over. The Reds are top of the Premier League, in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup and at the summit of the Champions League table.