Club boss hints at Mohamed Salah exit

MADRID, SPAIN - JUNE 01: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates with his wife Magi Salah following the UEFA Champions League Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on June 01, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - JUNE 01: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates with his wife Magi Salah following the UEFA Champions League Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on June 01, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Lille president Gerard Lopez has hinted that Liverpool could sell Mohamed Salah as he embarks in mind games over the transfer of Nicolas Pepe.

News broke yesterday evening that Liverpool have made contact with Lille about a transfer for Nicolas Pepe according to the French club’s president George Lopez. But it is his hints about Mohamed Salah and possible Sadio Mane that have fans suspicious.

The Reds have been one of the favorites to sign the Ivorian forward after his breakout season in Ligue 1 where he nabbed 22 goals and put himself in the limelight for a big summer transfer.

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However there have been strong denials from journalists close to Liverpool, firstly from Melissa Reddy over at ESPN and then from the Liverpool ECHO this week. The message has been the Reds are not in for the players and have no plans to be.

That hasn’t stopped Lopez talking about Liverpool in his interviews, insisting contact with the player’s agent and discussions with the club. The news has some fans wondering if Michael Edwards is doing a deal on the sly, keeping the media in an intentional blackout why they make it happen.

Though in Lopez’ latest comments he lets the mask slip and reveals how this is all mind games and negotiating techniques.

He says: “Liverpool have players in those positions and I read that maybe there were players who could leave.”

He is clearly trying to bolster the rumor by claiming that Mohamed Salah, who starts for Liverpool on the right-wing where Pepe plays, or even Sadio Mane, who can also play that position, could leave this summer.

By evoking the Reds’ stars – who absolutely will not be sold any time soon – we can see all these comments as a way of trying to include Liverpool in the discussions to ramp up the asking fee for Pepe.

I’m sure there are plenty of clubs who are genuinely interested – Bayern Munich for example – but none are willing to get close to the reported £80 million they want for him.

Liverpool have cash to burn after the Champions League victory and have not been reliably connected to any big transfers this summer. Lopez is using that to bump up the price for Pepe. I am not falling for it.