Despite advising Mohamed Salah to depart Liverpool, Egyptian sports minister Ashraf Sobhi has revealed the No. 11 wants to “renew his contract” at Anfield.
Salah finds himself under ongoing scrutiny over his future on Merseyside, with talks continuing over a possible extension to a deal that expires in 2023.
On Monday, Jurgen Klopp explained that there was “nothing new” to report when it comes to negotiations, but his claim that “the decisive parties are talking” suggests progress from the end of the year.
It has been reported that talks between Liverpool and Salah’s agent broke down in December, with Klopp intimating that the club had made their final offer to the forward and left it on the table.
There is clearly a disconnect between Salah’s demands and the package the club is willing to agree on, but there has been no agitation from the player over a move.
In fact, Sobhi has explained this week that despite his attempts to convince the Egypt captain to “continue his journey” elsewhere, his desire is to “renew his contract.”
“I have advised him to continue his journey at a club other than Liverpool,” Sobhi told Egyptian media, as quoted by the Mirror.
“But his direction now is to renew his contract with Liverpool.”
This comes after a meeting between Salah and Sobhi, who serves as Egypt’s Minister of Youth & Sports, following the World Cup playoff loss to Senegal last month.
The 29-year-old hinted after the penalty shootout defeat in Diamniadio that he could, in fact, retire from international duty, but Egypt officials have dismissed that possibility.
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