Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp wanted to ‘replace Salah’ with Man Utd flop amid contract issues

Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp wanted to sign Man Utd flop Antony to replace Mohamed Salah when it looked likely the Egyptian wouldn’t sign a new contract at Anfield, according to reports.

The Egypt international has been in good form once again this season with Salah contributing ten goals and ten assists in 16 matches in all competitions.

Salah, along with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, is out of contract at the end of the current season with no concrete signs that he will stay or go.

Liverpool are reluctant to offer long-term deals to players in their 30s but the 32-year-old will feel like he deserves a lucrative contract because of his continued brilliant form in a Reds shirt.

After scoring the winning goal as Liverpool came from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 on November 2, Salah hinted that his future at Anfield remains uncertain in a cryptic message on social media.

Salah wrote: “Top of the table is where this club belongs. Nothing less. All teams win matches but there’s only 1 champion in the end. That’s what we want.

“Thank you for your support last night. No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like.”

There was a time a couple of years ago when Salah’s future was also uncertain with his agent Ramy Abbas Issa driving a hard bargain before the Liverpool forward signed a three-year deal.

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And The Times journalist Paul Joyce claims Klopp was considering an offer for Man Utd flop Antony – who played for Ajax at the time – to replace Salah.

Joyce wrote:

‘There were times during that previous round of negotiations with Salah and Abbas two summers ago when a resolution also seemed unlikely.

‘It is understood that it was Mike Gordon, Fenway Sports Group’s president and responsible for the day to day running of the club back then, who ultimately decided renewing was the sensible use of resources. That has proved astute, especially as one of the options understood to have been discussed by Jürgen Klopp was to replace Salah was Antony.’

Liverpool swerved a bullet and former Reds midfielder Joe Cole recently claimed that Man Utd winger Antony – who hasn’t started a league match this season – will always struggle with the physicality of the Premier League.

Cole told Paddy Power: “The problem with Antony at Manchester United where I think he’s a player that is perfect for the Dutch league. I think the physicality of the Premier League is something he struggles with.

“He’s a talented footballer with great technique and skill, and it was good to see him playing well against Barnsley, but I don’t see him making an impact in the United starting team this season and I can’t see him turning it around at Manchester United.

“With Antony, I think he’s playing for a move away from the club and I think United will move past him. He’s not an old player and he should be coming into his prime in the next few years, so I think he’s probably best suited to other leagues.”