HANDS OFF MO!
Reds tell Real: £200m won’t get you Salah
LIVERPOOL will make Mohamed Salah the key man in their new era and robustly turn away any renewed interest from Real Madrid.
Salah has four years remaining on the £90,000-per-week deal he signed when arriving from Roma last summer but Liverpool are reviewing his terms and have a strong relationship with his agent Ramy Abbas.
Madrid’s interest in the PFA Player of the Year became clear in December, when head coach Zinedine Zidane spoke about him at the Club World Cup. At that time, his value was close to £100million but now a potential fee would be closer to £200m.
After scoring 43 goals this season, Salah has become an Anfield icon and one of the biggest stars in world football. But Liverpool made it clear after they had beaten Watford in March that they would not consider any approaches for Salah and his remarkable form since — he has scored seven times in
his last six appearances, including Tuesday’s double against Roma — has strengthened their resolve. Liverpool want to keep Jurgen Klopp’s team together and Salah is central to that. They are also committed to agreeing a new deal with Roberto Firmino, who, like Salah, scored twice in the 5-2 victory over Roma in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday. There are plans to overhaul Madrid’s squad but the fact that Salah has no buyout clause in his contract complicates their pursuit. A move for the 25-year-old would also affect Madrid’s transfer market priority: signing Neymar, who seems unhappy at Paris Saint-Germain. The striker has not been in Paris since February when he returned to Brazil after breaking a bone in his foot. Meanwhile, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will miss the World Cup this summer after injuring his right knee against Roma. The midfielder was taken off on a stretcher in the first half after challenging Aleksandar Kolarov and a scan yesterday revealed a knee ligament injury. ‘I’m absolutely devastated to have picked up this injury at such a crucial time,’ said the 24-year-old. ‘I’m gutted I won’t be able to play any further part now in our Champions League run for Liverpool, and also the World Cup with England. But now it’s all about getting behind the boys.’ Oxlade-Chamberlain sent his best wishes to Sean Cox, the Irish Liverpool supporter left in a critical condition after being attacked before Tuesday’s match at Anfield. ‘(My misfortune) pales in comparison to how the family of the Liverpool fan badly hurt before last night’s game must be feeling,’ said Oxlade-Chamberlain. ‘My thoughts are with him and his loved ones.’