The fallout from Jurgen Klopp’s announcement that Mo Salah would likely be returning to Liverpool to receive further medical treatment was quite astounding.
The attacker sadly suffered a hamstring tear during Egypt’s AFCON tie with Ghana and is set to return to Merseyside to receive the best possible care.
One reporter brought up the issue in question after the Reds’ Carabao Cup defeat of Fulham, noting that some international fans had blamed the German tactician for his presser announcement and questioned their star man’s loyalty to the cause.
“I cannot be part of that discussion,” the German told Ibrahim Khadra of beIN Sports.
“Egypt and Liverpool have exactly the same interest – we want Mo Salah, as quick as possible, fit.
“If he is fit… if he stays there and they can’t do the proper treatment, that will just delay everything; especially for Egypt if they go through the tournament. So we bring him here, not because we want to take him away from Egypt, but to offer the best medical treatment. It’s all we want.
“It’s all agreed. If Egypt goes to the final and Mo is fit, it’s always clear, he goes back. 100%. Mo wants that, we want that, we don’t plan with Mo and think we can do a little bit here or there. We’re completely honest.
“If I said something too early… what I said (I didn’t announce it) was ‘I think it’s agreed’. I have so many things to do and so many things going on around me, and sometimes it’s like… ‘oh right, it’s not agreed, I think it’s a plan – that’s what I heard’.
“The rest is whatever some people make of it. If somebody questions the loyalty of Mo Salah, he should ask himself if his loyalty is right because Mo Salah is the most loyal Egyptian I’ve definitely ever met in my life.”
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Absolutely ridiculous to question Klopp or Salah
We can more than appreciate why some fans would be incredibly disappointed to see their star performer’s AFCON campaign potentially threatened beyond repair.
However, to suggest that Klopp is somehow at fault in this story – God knows how – is ridiculous to the point of it almost not being worth acknowledging.
It should go without saying, but the 56-year-old wanting the absolute best treatment for his star wide man – which, by the way, is for the benefit of Egypt in this case – is far from unreasonable.