Jurgen Klopp expressed his bemusement at journalists’ forensic analysis of Mo Salah’s comments from his prior interview with Spanish publication AS.
The 28-year-old had admitted “disappointment” at being overlooked for the captaincy in Liverpool’s final Champions League group game in Denmark, with reporters latching on to his refusal to rule out a move to La Liga’s big two.
“Imagine, if you ask any player in the world who isn’t playing for Barcelona or Madrid, and you ask them, ‘Can you imagine playing for them one day?’ and they say, ‘No, not for them, Spain is s***!’ or whatever,” Klopp said, as reported by Goal. “Why would he say that? All [Salah] said is, ‘We will see’ and that it’s in the club’s hands. That’s true, 100 per cent. It’s about the future.”
“It’s really all fine. You obviously have not a lot to talk about, and that’s why we make a long story about one interview,” the German added. “That’s fine, but it doesn’t make it more important to me. Mo is a very important player for me, obviously, but the story around isn’t!”
Much has been made of the interview, with some alternatively choosing to interpret the Egyptian’s words as an invitation for the club to offer a better contract.
READ MORE: Salah contract position clarified amidst rumours of potential La Liga move
If the player was desperately aching for a move away from Liverpool, one must wonder why on earth the captaincy at that very same club would be so important to him in a dead rubber tie.
Perhaps, you may argue, it’s merely something that he wishes to tick off his bucket list before he pops off to La Liga, but his interview comments – admittedly vague as they are (though, understandably so) – don’t quite back that up.
As much temptation is associated with a move to either one of Barcelona or Real Madrid, both sides are, to varying degrees, mere shadows of their former potent selves – particularly the former.
Putting aside these clubs’ financial concerns, why would Salah leave for either of the Spanish outfits?