MY ACCOUNT
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hinted at hope of a resolution on Mohamed Salah’s contract situation, stating that players can reach their peak in their mid-30s.
Salah, who turns 30 in June, has 18 months remaining on his current Liverpool contract but talks ongoing on a new deal.
The Egypt international has reiterated he wants to remain at Liverpool although there has been reports that his representatives want a bumper deal worth around £300,000-a-week.
Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group have been reluctant in the past to offer lucrative deals to players well into their 30s in the past but the two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner is showing no signs of slowing up.
“One or two years ago the first three players of the Ballon d’Or, apart from Salah who is slightly younger, were all 34 or older,” Klopp told reporters ahead of Sunday’s clash with Burnley.
“Lewandowski is 33, then Messi and Ronaldo [are] 34 and 37 and if you are lucky enough to get through a career without major injuries you can play long.
“There is no peak mid-20s. The massive advantage of early 30s, mid-30s is the player can see things in the right way having learned in his career.
“He can use that and he can be an even better player than he was a few years before and that is the plan with all of them. There is no age roof.
“For clubs it is different, they think ‘we won’t sign a 33-year-old because we cannot sell him any more’ but if the player is already in then it is outstanding to have him around because they have experience, desire and quality.”
Salah is the youngest of Liverpool’s star attacking trio, alongside 30-year-old Roberto Firmino and Sadio mane, who turns 30 in April.
