DANNY MURPHY: Liverpool can't keep Salah if he wants Saudi move

DANNY MURPHY: If Mo Salah really is set on going to Saudi Arabia, I don’t see how Liverpool can keep him… Jurgen Klopp wouldn’t want to force someone into staying

• Former Liverpool midfielder Murphy believes Klopp wouldn’t force Salah to stay 
•  The Egyptian has been heavily linked with a move to Al-Ittihad this summer 
• WATCH: It’s All Coming Up – Mail Sport’s preview show for the weekend’s football

I am taking Liverpool to finish ahead of Sunday’s opponents Newcastle in the league this season — provided they keep Mo Salah amid Saudi interest. 

Those travelling fans up in the rafters at St James’ Park will give Salah a big ovation — they don’t want to lose him — but ultimately it’ll be the player’s decision.

If Salah really is set on being the poster boy in an Arab country, I don’t see how it will make business sense for Liverpool to turn down £100million for a 31-year-old who is going to be unhappy.

Jurgen Klopp strikes me as a similar type to Pep Guardiola: they regard their club as bigger than any player and wouldn’t want to force someone into staying.

On the pitch, though, it would be a huge blow, particularly in the short term. Salah has a history of scoring lots of goals, and important ones as well. 

Liverpool will finish above Newcastle if they keep Mohamed Salah, says Danny Murphy

Those travelling fans up in the rafters at St James’ Park will give Salah a big ovation

Jurgen Klopp regards Liverpool as bigger than any player and wouldn’t want to force someone to stay

They won’t be able to go out and replace that kind of impact overnight, unless they shocked everyone by landing Kylian Mbappe!

Let’s assume Salah stays. Liverpool then look in good shape. Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai already look a great fit two games into the season.

I’m also looking at how Newcastle’s Champions League campaign might affect them at home. 

They play with such a ferocious energy, maintaining that twice a week every week won’t be easy and it’s something they aren’t used to.

The squad looks deeper with Bruno Tonali, Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall and Harvey Barnes but a first season presents different challenges. Liverpool fans will be desperate for Salah to stay. But it makes no sense unless the Egyptian King is fully committed.

NEW BLOOD, GARETH

I’d leave out Jordan Henderson, Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips from this week’s England squad, even though they have been established players under Gareth Southgate and a big part of our success. Everything should be geared towards planning for Euro 2024 rather than simply picking the best XI against Ukraine and Scotland.

And Southgate needs to look at other options in case Henderson’s Saudi career takes him backwards or Maguire and Phillips are warming the bench again for nine months.

It may be Henderson plays better than ever in Saudi Arabia, but we don’t know how a new league will impact on the midfielder. It’s better at this stage for other players such as Connor Gallagher to get a chance.

Murphy believes Gareth Southgate (right) should exclude Jordan Henderson, Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips from England’s next squad

Henderson (right) is plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League after moving from Liverpool

Maguire and Phillips might have good seasons but they’ve spent long spells on the sidelines. Being excluded by Southgate would be a wake-up call and make them realise they may need to move to playing more regularly.

The early-season form of Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Phil Foden and James Maddison means England aren’t short of quality in the centre of the park where Phillips operates. Levi Colwill is emerging as a genuine rival for Maguire. I’d like to see Foden and Maddison given 90 minutes each to show we can play with a real creative midfield player.

GO FOR AMRABAT, ERIK

One transfer that would make perfect sense before Friday’s deadline is Sofyan Amrabat to Manchester United.

The early games indicate that Erik ten Hag sees Mason Mount as a forward-looking midfield player, so Casemiro still needs helps protecting the back four, particularly away from home.

I rate Scott McTominay but Ten Hag clearly doesn’t so he needs to dip into the market again and get Amrabat, who was fantastic for Morocco in the World Cup. He senses danger and is also a very good passer of the ball.

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