Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Mohamed Salah is still considered a “young player” by Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool’s number 11 scored once more in the Reds’ 5-1 Europa League win over Toulouse on Thursday night.
Salah’s goal was his 13th in 12 appearances in 2023/24, with the Egyptian looking as sharp as ever despite turning 31 this summer.
Speaking to the media ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, Klopp praised Salah’s amazing commitment to fitness, joking that the player has the bones of a 19-year-old.
“Mo doesn’t act like [he is 30] at all,” Klopp stated. Off the field, he acts like a mature man, although he is still a youthful player. If we scan him, we’ll find that the majority of his bones are between the ages of 19 and 20! He just keeps himself in great form.
“It has to do with game comprehension.” That is what we strive to provide for young players. When they complete their careers at the age of 35, they all know a lot about football, but the sooner in their careers you receive this information, the more beneficial they are.
“Obviously, Mo understands the spaces much better; he knows how players react around him, and he can still be a threat for us even if he doesn’t score.” That is extremely significant.”
“The Everton game will not go down in history in terms of performance, but then scoring two goals was massive,” Klopp added. “In other games, he has played much better and not scored, but being a constant threat is as important for us because it really opens up spaces for all the other boys.”
I can’t compare Mo to other 30-year-olds because I don’t believe he’s biologically [the same].”
Salah’s current Liverpool deal is set to expire in the summer of 2025, just before he turns 33.
There has been significant conjecture about whether he will extend his contract at Anfield again—he is already the club’s highest-paid player ever—or be allowed to depart next summer, amid interest from the Saudi Pro League.
