Jurgen Klopp has credited Darwin Nunez with playing a part in the reshaping of Mo Salah as a footballer.
The Uruguayan international (on a reported £140,000-a-week, according to Capology) has, in the German’s words, ‘changed Mo’s position definitely’, encouraging the creative reinvention of the Egyptian King of late.
“The young Mo was a super fast player. From the first day he had to do different things, he adapted extremely well, but the playmaker in that role was probably Bobby [Firmino] setting things up,” the ex-Borussia Dortmund head coach spoke to reporters, as relayed by BBC Sport.
“You don’t need two players who are deeper because you need players in the box and players to bring the ball over the line. Now it’s slightly different, especially with Darwin [Nunez] when he is playing. We have another speed player up there so that changed Mo’s position definitely.
“He is smart enough to adapt to all these different things. It is a massive development since he arrived, but he was in all phases world class.”
The 31-year-old has been nothing short of phenomenal for Liverpool this term, registering 13 goal contributions in 12 games.
Mo Salah is still an absolute goal machine
It seems to be lost in some quarters just how devastating Salah remains when put in front of goal – as his latest cameo against Toulouse in the Europa League clearly demonstrated.
To have changed his game late on in his career for the benefit of the side and his own personal game is the stuff of the truly elite. We’re talking about the realm occupied by the likes of Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo here.
What a special, special player we have in the former Roma hitman.
Though the finances would undoubtedly benefit from an influx of serious money for the Egyptian in the next summer window, the argument for extending his contract is only getting stronger with each passing week.
#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones🎙️