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Mohamed Salah: 'Jurgen Klopp exit will not impact my Liverpool future'

By Ben Sully | 10 March 2024

Salah: 'Klopp exit will not impact my Liverpool future'

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah says Jurgen Klopp's departure will have no bearing on any decision that he makes over his Anfield future.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has insisted that Jurgen Klopp's departure will not impact his future with the club.

Klopp announced in January that he would be leaving his role at the end of the season after spending nine years in the Liverpool hotseat.

There has been speculation over whether Salah could follow Klopp out of the club, with less than 18 months left on his current Liverpool deal.

The Egypt international continues to be linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League after being the subject of a £150m bid from Al Ittihad last summer.

Although the Reds turned down that significant offer, Salah is likely to attract fresh interest from Saudi Arabia before the 2024-25 season.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reacts on February 25, 2024 © Reuters

Speaking ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with title rivals Manchester City, Salah has said that Klopp's departure will not be a factor in any decision he makes over his Anfield future.

"No, It's part of life now, that everything moves," Salah told Sky Sports when asked if Klopp's decision to leave the club would affect his own plans.

"Players have left already, very important players. The manager is also very important for the club and is leaving. One day I will leave the club, but no."

The 31-year-old was surprised by Klopp's January announcement, admitting that he thought an early morning meeting was going to confirm a contract extension rather than reveal the manager's intention to depart at the end of the season.

Salah added: "Usually we don't do meetings at 10.30am, as 10.30 is the report time. It's normally a 10.30 meet time and then 12 noon training. Then they said there was a meeting at 10.30am. I was like: 'What?'

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their fourth goal on January 1, 2024 © Reuters

"The manager's agent was there at the training ground and I thought: 'Oh, he's renewing his contract'. And five minutes before the meeting, Virgil [van Dijk] said: 'Do you know what the meeting is about?'

"I said no. He said: 'The manager is leaving'. I said: 'Really, the manager is leaving? You serious? Why?' He said: 'No idea'.

"Then the manager came in and he just said it and it was weird because no one knew before. There was nothing in the media. He didn't even prepare us for that, he just said it. That was a weird day for us and for the club."

Salah is expected to make his first Premier League start since New Year's Day in Liverpool's home clash with the reigning European champions, and he will be hoping to add to the 15 league goals that he has already scored this season.

The Reds are one point better off than the Citizens, but they have dropped down to second place following Arsenal's win over Brentford on Saturday.