Cody Gakpo urges ‘special’ Mohamed Salah to stay amid the Liverpool star’s ongoing contractual uncertainty

Cody Gakpo has heaped praise on Liverpool team-mate Mo Salah and insisted that he hopes Egyptian remains at Anfield after the current campaign.

Despite embarking on their first season without Jurgen Klopp at the helm and enduring a quiet summer in the transfer window the Reds have enjoyed a thunderous start on all fronts.

Since Arne Slot took the reins this summer Liverpool have tasted defeat just once in all competitions.

The impressive run sees the club are top of both the Premier League and the revamped Champions League league format.

Once again Salah has been instrumental to their success, and he recently became the first Premier League player ever to have double figures in both goals and assists at Christmas.

Speaking on the 32-year-old Gakpo insisted the club are ‘lucky’ to have a player of Salah’s ability.

The Egyptian has enjoyed a blistering start to the campaign with 18 goals in all competitions

Gakpo added he hopes Salah remains at the club amid speculation surrounding his future

‘It’s very special what we are all witnessing,’ Gakpo told the club’s website.

‘The amount of goals he scores but the assists he gives as well, the way he plays the game, how he puts other attacking players or midfielders like myself in a position to score and to be dangerous is from a high level.

‘I hope for us and for him that he can continue doing that for a long time. 

‘We are very lucky to have him and proud that we can be his team-mate and try to make him better. And he is trying to make us better as well.’

Despite Liverpool’s flying start, speculation in recent months has been fixated on the future of Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold at the club.

The trio have been integral to Liverpool’s success in recent years but could all could leave on free transfers at the end of the season with their contracts set to expire.

Salah previously expressed disappointment that he had not been offered a new deal but has indicated that he would like to continue his career with the Reds.

Asked last month whether the uncertainty surrounding his future could distract Salah, Slot insisted that based on the evidence the opposite could be true.

‘I don’t think it distracts Mo at all,’ said the Dutch boss.

‘Maybe it even brings the best out of him if you look at his performances until now.’