GET REAL OVER MO, MADRID
Spanish giants may want Salah... but they have no chance
REAL MADRID are gearing up to challenge Europe’s elite again – but Mo Salah will not be part of it.
That is the view of former Bernabeu star Steve Mcmanaman.
Salah is in the middle of delicate contract negotiations at Anfield, and Spanish giants Real are big fans of the striker, who turns 30 in June.
Ex-liverpool favourite Mcmanaman can see a glut of star names gracing Los Blancos’ new base, but he is convinced the little Egyptian magician’s head will not be turned.
Macca said: “Real have a potful of money that they are going to do some serious business with.
“They are also going to open a state-of-the-art stadium.
“If they win the Super Cup tonight against Athletic Bilbao – and La Liga – and go deep in the Champions League, they are primed to have a busy, busy summer.
“And if
Madrid come knocking and land Kylian Mbappe and have this glorious new stadium, a few footballers’ eyes are going to be turned.
“But I don’t see Salah being one of them. I just don’t think his head will be turned.
“Mbappe might have an itch that needs scratching. I think
Erling Haaland has, too. But not Mo.
“Mo is playing his best football at Anfield.
“And not only do I think he’s happy, I also think he knows the strength of the two clubs at the moment.
“Knowing the person he is, I think he’d love to stay.
“I just don’t see it being a question for him, I really don’t. I think they will do the deal.
“I think – and I hope – he’ll come to an agreement with Liverpool.” Salah (left) and team-mate Sadio Mane are away at the Africa Cup of Nations, so miss today’s visit of Brentford.
Without two top men, Kop boss Jurgen Klopp wants the Reds to call on the spirit of their famous 2019 Champions League semi-final win over Barcelona.
Toothless
The Reds were toothless in attack without Salah and Mane in midweek when Arsenal drew 0-0 at Anfield in the first-leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
But Klopp insists his squad have shown before that they can cope with the absence of big hitters up top and is convinced he can find solutions.
Klopp said: “One of the biggest games of our history here we played without Bobby Firmino and Mo – we won.
“Crystal Palace last season, I forget the score but it was pretty high, Mo didn’t start the game. We won against Manchester United and Sadio didn’t start the game.
“So now both are out, that’s not cool, but it’s not like, ‘You have to be like him and you have to be like him’.
“It’s about playing football, finding solutions, about getting through. Against Arsenal our set-pieces were awful – but they looked outstanding in training.
“There are so many things you can do in a football game that don’t depend on who is playing, it’s always about how you are playing.”
» BT Sport will broadcast the Spanish Super Cup Final tonight. Watch Real Madrid v Athletic Bilbao live on BT Sport 3 from 6pm