Jurgen Klopp responds to claims he did not want to sign Mohamed Salah for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp insists he and Liverpool were ‘100 per cent convinced’ about signing Mohamed Salah (The Anfield Wrap)

Jurgen Klopp has dismissed suggestions that he did not want to sign Mohamed Salah for Liverpool .

Earlier this week, Salah announced that he is calling time on his nine-year stint with Liverpool at the end of the season and will leave Anfield on a free transfer.

Salah joined Liverpool in a £34.3 million deal from Roma in 2017 but former defender Jamie Carragher has claimed that Klopp was instead pushing for a deal to sign Julian Brandt, who was playing for Bayer Leverkusen at the time.

However, in an interview with The Anfield Wrap which was released on Thursday, Klopp revealed that while he did hold talks with Brandt over a move to Anfield, the former Liverpool manager is adamant that Salah was always the club’s first choice.

‘There’s always a story that I wanted to sign Julian Brandt or something like that,’ Klopp said.

Liverpool considered signing Julian Brandt instead of Mohamed Salah (Getty)

‘This is the situation, with that when you go for a winger you talk to seven or eight, and yes, we spoke to Julian Brandt but we spoke to Mo Salah, it’s not he [Brandt] didn’t want it so we took him [Salah], whatever people think I don’t care, but in the moment we were 100 per cent convinced he was the one, more convinced than he was probably in that moment because he, at least not with us, maybe inside he was.’

@wearetheoverlap “Klopp didn’t want to sign Mo Salah” 👀 #sticktofootball #theoverlap #mosalah #liverpoolfc @jamiecarragher ♬ original sound – The Overlap – The Overlap

Klopp also believes it will difficult for any current Liverpool player to match Salah’s scoring record, with the Egyptian now third on the club’s all-time list with 255 goals behind Roger Hunt (285) and Ian Rush (346).

But Klopp believes Hugo Ekitike , who has scored 17 goals in his first season at Liverpool, could go close.

‘I hope he [Salah] can have a successful rest of the season,’ Klopp said.

Jurgen Klopp has hailed Mohamed Salah’s ‘incredible career’ at Liverpool (UEFA via Getty)

‘We texted actually last night, I really hope he enjoys the rest of the season but I know Mo can only enjoy it if you win football matches and he scores.

‘I really hope that on the last matchday, you all will have a smile on your face, and just be be happy and thankful that one of the most incredible careers that we will ever be apart of, that’s how it is.

Mohamed Salah has won two Premier League titles with Liverpool (Getty)

‘Where he came from, what he went through and what he gave us… incredible.

‘In the moment, when you work with him, the bigger view it’s ridiculous, just ridiculous, unmatched numbers, we may sit here in 10 years, maybe Ekitike [will break his record] but it will be difficult.

‘One of the all time greats, definitely, will leave the club in the summer, and let’s see where he will show up next.’