Mohamed Salah To Take Roma Return In His Stride – Klopp

Jurgen Klopp believes Mohamed Salah will take a Roma return in his stride and the Liverpool manager has never contemplated the prospect of selling his star player.

Liverpool has been drawn against Salah’s old club in the Champions League semi-finals. And the 25-year-old will be the centre of attention for the two-legged tie given his sensational form since his £36.9m switch from Roma to Anfield last summer.

Klopp, however, is confident the Egypt international will be able to cope with the extra scrutiny. “With Mo, everyone likes the hype around him,” Klopp said. “When we came out for the Champions League training against Manchester City I said to the boys, ‘We go out naked because no one will notice – they are only here to see if Mo is okay!’

“The boys are smart enough and Mo is so thankful. Now we go to Rome and I don’t think the hype will be a little bit less for him. “Everybody knows how big Mo’s impact on our season has been – and they’ve played a season without him. Where would they be if Mo was still there in Rome?

“It makes it a really interesting thing and for him, it will be 100 per cent special. He is already of interest wherever we go, but it might go crazy when we go to Rome! He can deal with that, I am sure.”

Speaking to CNN International ahead of the draw, Salah said of his old team-mates: “They’ve all said, ‘We don’t want to play against Liverpool’.

“It would be nice to go back to Rome, it’s my old club. I love the fans there and they love me too. I still talk to most of the players there. We were very close to each other and we are good friends. “Of course, I have happy memories. We played together for two years and were fighting together in all the games. We had a good time in the dressing room.”

Salah has scored 39 goals in all competitions in a stunning debut season which has seen him close in on Ian Rush’s record of 47 in one campaign.

That has seen him linked with a move to Real Madrid in the summer, but Klopp maintains Liverpool would not even entertain the idea of letting their prized asset leave.

“It’s not a situation I would even think about it,” he said. “Around nine months ago he came in to make the next step in his career, and he did it.

“He had different options and he wanted to come here. If we now always start talking after a year and is it ‘will he leave?’ or whatever, then I don’t think about. I’m confident. I don’t think, I know he will be here. That’s all.

“We have a big chance here to create something for the future. In the moment we have to deliver performances, collecting points, winning.

“The age group of the team is really good. We are still young and full of potential and all that stuff. My impression at the moment is that they are all excited about being in this group.”

Klopp insists his players will take nothing for granted in their bid to finish in the Premier League’s top four and secure a place in European football’s elite competition next season