Arne Slot speaks to LFC TV about Mohamed Salah's impending departure from the club
Arne Slot has paid tribute to Mohamed Salah, saying the departing forward will "definitely leave as a legend" of Liverpool.
The Egyptian confirmed last week via his social media channels that this will be his final season as a Reds player, with an agreement in place for the third highest goalscorer in the club's history to leave as a free agent a year before his contract is due to expire.
During his nine years at Anfield, Salah has won two Premier League titles and counts the 2019 Champions League and Club World Cup among his honours.
And in an interview with the club's official website at the AXA Training Centre base on Wednesday, Liverpool head coach Slot spoke effusively about the No.11's achievements during a decorated career on Merseyside.
"I knew, so it wasn't new news to me, but I think it was very good to hear and see all the reactions of his team-mates, but also from everywhere around the world, for what he has done for this football club and for football in general," Slot told Liverpoolfc.com
"I've mainly seen this as a fan, so watching football, seeing him playing at Liverpool, doing all these special things that he's done for this club. Of course, in the fixtures against [Manchester] City but in all the other fixtures as well. He broke record after record after record.
"Then I started working with him and already the first day I was impressed by his professionalism because as with any season, it starts with a test that shows how much they did in the off-season and he beat all of them. He was the fittest player that came back, and I think that's the ideal situation that you want as a manager: that your star player comes back as fit as he did.
"He had nothing to prove, but for himself he had a lot to prove because Mo always thinks he has to prove something every three days. That hunger never stops and that is something that I find most special about him.
"So many good players around the world [and] he's definitely one of them in the last 10 years, that everybody talks about being one of the best there is and was in the last 10 years.
"To show that hunger every three days, that professionalism, that commitment to the club, to the team, to wanting to score again, always wanting to play – when you take him out three minutes before the end, he's like, 'Maybe I could have scored one extra!' – that is what stands out for me.
"Everything he's done for the club, but the moment I started working with him I knew it after one day, let alone after a few weeks or months, that it isn't a coincidence that he's been so influential in the last 10 years in football."
It was Salah's 29 goals and 18 assists last season that went a long way toward the Reds winning their 20th title in Slot's debut campaign in charge.
And Slot added: "Hopefully he can make his legacy even more special in the upcoming weeks and months where we still play for something special. But he will always leave this club as a legend because, as I said, the way this club has performed in the last seasons is also for a large part due to what he's done for it.
"Scoring goals, having his assists. As I said, as a fan I watched him and that front three with Sadio Mane and Bobby Firmino, everybody is still talking about that, and rightly so.
"And then when I started working with him, I don't know if it was his best season in terms of numbers, but it was an impressive season because he had the most goals and the most assists and I don't know if that has happened much with him, let alone with any player in the Premier League.
"He will definitely leave as a legend of this club."
Liverpool's chances of defending the Premier League title are over their hopes of silverware remain alive in the FA Cup and Champions League after reaching the quarter-final of both competitions.
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