Mo Salah Not “Easy to Manage”: Did Jurgen Klopp Foresee Liverpool Fallout?

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Mo Salah is not always an “easy” player to manage.

Salah has dominated the headlines this past week after giving a bombshell interview to journalists following Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Leeds last Saturday.

The 33-year-old was an unused substitute at Elland Road, having also started Liverpool’s previous two Premier League matches on the bench.

Clearly unhappy with the situation, Salah told reporters he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool, while claiming that he now had “no relationship” with current manager Arne Slot.

What Jurgen Klopp said about Mo Salah not being easy to manage

Klopp’s comments about Salah feature in the BBC One documentary “Mo Salah – Never Give Up”, which charts the Egyptian’s rise from local leagues to global superstardom.

In the film, Klopp talks about Salah’s background and work ethic, describing a player who constantly tried to add new skills to his game and who pushed himself and those around him.

“We are all massively influenced by our past – how we were raised, where we grew up,” Klopp says. “Mo knew early on that he had to do more than others.

“He always developed. He never stops. That is his mindset. After each summer break he came back and had a new skill. It was like he had spent the whole time just practising one particular type of pass.

“We pushed each other, just to make sure that we would never stop. And we never did stop. That moment lifting the Premier League bonded us for life. He will be remembered as one of the greatest of all time.”

But Klopp also makes it clear that Salah is not always straightforward to handle from the dugout.

“I wouldn’t say he is easy to manage, but he is also not difficult to manage,” Klopp explains. “You only have problems with Mo Salah if he is not playing or you take him off.”

That line now feels particularly relevant. Salah’s current frustration has come after a spell in which he has been taken out of the team.

After being benched for three consecutive Premier League games, Salah was left out of the squad altogether for Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League win at Inter Milan. Slot used a new 4-1-2-1-2 formation against Inter — a narrow system in which Salah would not fit in his favoured wide position.

Salah and Klopp won seven different trophies together for Liverpool, including the Premier League, Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.

Salah scored 211 of his 250 Liverpool goals during the Klopp era. However, the best season of Salah’s Liverpool career arguably came under Slot last season, when he delivered 29 goals and 18 assists in 38 Premier League games.

Mo Salah’s Liverpool stats under Jurgen Klopp

Mo Salah’s Liverpool stats under Arne Slot

Has Mo Salah played his last game for Liverpool?

Salah has said that he expects to be at Anfield on Saturday, although it remains unclear whether he will be selected for what could be the final game of his Liverpool career.

Despite being under contract until 2027, a January exit is now viewed as a realistic possibility. Al-Hilal are regarded as the leading contenders, with any move expected to come with a significant salary increase compared to his current Liverpool deal.

Salah has already asked his parents to attend Saturday’s game against Brighton, adding: “I don’t know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it. I will be at Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to the Africa Cup.”

He is scheduled to fly out after the match to join Egypt ahead of AFCON 2025 in Morocco. By the time his involvement in the tournament ends, the January transfer window will likely be open — raising the prospect that he may not return to Anfield in a Liverpool shirt.

The club have made no plans for a ceremonial goodbye this weekend, largely because they do not want to signal publicly that they expect him to leave and risk weakening their negotiating position. However, many Liverpool fans plan to give Salah a warm send-off after the Brighton game just in case he doesn’t come back after AFCON.

“They should do the right thing,” wrote one fan on X. “He deserves the send-off of a legend.” Others echoed the sentiment, insisting that his contribution over eight years should be recognised even if his departure has turned messy.

Whether Salah ultimately stays or goes, Klopp’s comments now resonate more strongly than ever. Liverpool have rarely seen this level of tension around their No 11 — but as Klopp warned, problems tend to arise only when Salah is not playing. Under Slot, that has seemingly become the central issue.