Harvey Elliott has shared an insight into the enormous influence that Mo Salah exudes behind the scenes at Liverpool, describing the Egyptian as ‘a great human being’.
The 20-year-old was speaking with liverpoolfc.com about his teammate, who he’s praised for his constant support of younger players at the club and his willingness to offer advice.
The England under-21 international also revealed how the Reds’ number 11 checked in with him after the FA Cup win at Arsenal last month, even while busy preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Elliott said: “With Mo, he’s always trying not only to push myself but the other youngsters as well and, in all fairness, he doesn’t really need to do it.
“He’s an icon on and off the pitch and it would be easy to just focus on himself and keep making sure he’s breaking records and so on, but he takes time out of his day to check in on us, to make sure we know that if we need anything, he’s always there to give us pointers.
“For instance, although he was at the AFCON with Egypt, he messaged me after the Arsenal game in the last round of the FA Cup saying, ‘How did you find it?’ and so on. They are the things he doesn’t have to do but he’s just a great human being and always wants the best for everyone.”
Anyone who’s watched Liverpool over the past few years will be fully aware of how exceptional a footballer Salah is on matchday, and Elliott’s insight also speaks volumes for what a special teammate the Egyptian has been at Anfield.
For youngsters coming through at a club as big as LFC, it must mean everything to have one of the world’s best players always offering support and guidance, instead of having an inflated ego and considering such behaviour to be beneath him given his standing in the global game.
The 31-year-old has been posting on Instagram to show that he’s hard at work to try and get back to match fitness as soon as possible, following the unwelcome injury he suffered at AFCON last month, and his return to action can’t come quickly enough.
There continues to be speculation from some quarters about his future and how much longer he’ll be at Liverpool, but let’s hope and pray that the ever-professional Salah stays put for another few years yet.
It’s clear from Elliott’s comments that the Egyptian King is a dream teammate to have, and not just for his remarkable goalscoring feats either.
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