Mohamed Salah and Jurgen Klopp spent seven years together at Liverpool (Image: Getty)
Manager Jurgen Klopp has said Liverpool cannot replace Mohamed Salah and insisted the club should not “chasing in the shadows” in doing so. Salah is expected to leave Anfield after Saturday afternoon’s game against Brentford. The 33-year-old has made 441 appearances for the Reds, scoring 257 goals and providing 122 assists.
He has established himself as a legendary figure among Anfield fans, gaining adoration from supporters soon after taking over in 2017. There is a huge debate going on at Liverpool over who should replace Salah. Candidates have been reported to include West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, RB Leipzig’s Yann Diomande and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olisse.
Despite this, former Reds manager Klopp warned that Liverpool would never be able to replicate Salah’s contribution to the club. He said this earlier this year after it was confirmed that Salah’s departure was imminent. “If it’s not possible, why try? Don’t try to chase shadows. Find new ways to play.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays six or seven more years. He’s the best player of all time. These kinds of players are irreplaceable.”
“There’s going to be a hole for someone to fill, but is there a particular player in Mo Salah? I don’t even know if there’s another player out there. The numbers he produces as a winger are outrageous.”
Salah has drawn huge praise from his former manager, as Klopp added: “I had to understand what it meant for Mo to leave. I was already looking from the outside so I texted him my thoughts.”
“I’m really happy and proud to have been a part of this whole journey. Oh my gosh, what a great player he is.”
Mohamed Salah played 349 games under Jurgen Klopp. (Image: Getty)
However, the German admitted that the winger is a difficult team when there is no goal in sight. “He’s a great teammate, a great player, but when he’s not scoring he’s not a great mate,” Klopp said.
“It’s a challenge to be a special player, but we never lost respect for each other, and that’s what I really like.”
However, Salah’s departure is in doubt after he made bombshell comments after the 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa, revealing that the Reds are keen to rediscover their best form.
The Egyptian, who vowed before leaving to help Liverpool achieve the Champions League, said: “I have seen this club go from doubters to believers and from believers to champions.”
“It’s taken a lot of hard work and I’ve always given my all to help the club get there. I couldn’t be more proud. To have this season crumble with yet another defeat is extremely painful and not what the fans deserved.”
“I want to see Liverpool go back to being a heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and a team that wins trophies. That’s the football I know how to play and that’s the identity we need to recover and hold on to forever.”
“It’s non-negotiable and everyone who joins this club has to adapt to that. Winning a game here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. It’s about every team winning games. Liverpool will always be a club that means a lot to me and to my family.”
“I want to see success long after my transfer.As I have always said, the minimum requirement is to qualify for next season’s Champions League, and I will do everything in my power to make that happen.”
