Harry Diamond
Nicolas Anelka has warned Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane against the lure of Real Madrid and insists ‘Liverpool is very much the place to be’ following the club’s success in recent seasons.
Salah and Mane have established themselves as two of the finest forwards in world football as part of Liverpool’s feared front three alongside Roberto Firmino, the trio having fired the club to Champions League success last year before winning an elusive Premier League title this season.
Real Madrid have been tentatively linked with the pair for a number of months but Anelka – who endured his own disappointing spell with the Spanish giants after leaving Arsenal – believes it would be a mistake for either to leave Anfield, urging the forwards to remain on Merseyside and bring further silverware success to the Reds.
“It’s an amazing front three,” Anelka told the Liverpool Echo.
“I love them all, especially Roberto Firmino because he is the key for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane’s success.
Robbo's vision. Salah's assist. Mane's finish 🤩
Sadio's goal vs @Arsenal from all angles… 😍 pic.twitter.com/hV3WNS7oHh
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 14, 2020
“Salah and Mane are ranking in the top five best players in the world right now. They have the quality to play for Real Madrid.
“But today Liverpool can compete with Real Madrid so they don’t need to move. Liverpool is very much the place to be.”
Anelka also enjoyed a brief loan spell as a Liverpool player during the 2001/02 season and says the current side should be proud at ending the club’s three decade wait for a league title, hailing Jurgen Klopp as a ‘genius’ and backing the Reds to remain ‘competitive for many years’.
“The players can be proud after 30 years of waiting,” he added. “It’s a shame it had to come at the same time as this coronavirus so they won’t be able to celebrate with the fans like they should. But it’ll do.
“Jurgen Klopp is a genius. I love his work, the way he is with his players and the players he has signed. They’re top class players.
“They’ll be competitive for many years. Klopp has brought the club back to where it deserves.”
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