Andy Robertson has made his first comment since Mohamed Salah announced his decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
The Egyptian King has confirmed he will be leaving Anfield this summer, a year after penning a 2-year contract at the club.
The Reds left-back has hailed his teammate for his determination to become the best, adding that the club were carried to the Premier League title by the winger last season. He labeled the 33-year-old’s contribution at Anfield as ‘ridiciulous’ and backed his decision to leave on his own terms.
Speaking to the media ahead of Scotland’s friendly against Japan, Robertson was asked to comment on the Egyptian’s announcement. The Scotsman started by saying that he had run out of words to describe the forward, but said:
“I’ve probably ran out of words of what to say about Mo [Mohamed Salah]. Fantastic player. Unbelievable what he’s done for our football club. Obviously, I signed with him the same summer. And just being able to see him grow as a player and grow into one of the best in the world, and seeing how he conducts himself every single day, seeing how professional he is, you know how much work he puts into to become the best.”
It was the first time Robertson was commenting on Salah’s exit, days after penning words on social media.
Mohamed Salah hailed for helping Liverpool win the Premier League title
Mohamed Salah had 44 goal contributions last season as Liverpool eased to the Premier League title. They also made it to the Carabao Cup final, where they lost to Newcastle United.
Robertson has given the majority of the credit for the season to Salah, saying that they were carried by the Egyptian. He backed the former Chelsea man’s plans to leave Anfield this summer and said:
“It has been a joy to watch and even if you look back at last season, he pretty much carried us on his back at times on his own. The numbers he produced last season were just ridiculous. So yeah, I suppose all good things have to come to an end and Mo’s made the decision that to be this summer. Obviously, I’ll fully back him on that and fully support him on that.”
Robertson has played 338 matches with Salah – the most games the Egyptian has played with a teammate in his career.
Robertson wants Liverpool fans to give Salah the best send-off
Robertson went on to hail Salah as one of the best players to have played for the Reds. He admitted that they have been close friends off the pitch, having joined in the same summer, and said:
“I don’t think there’s any doubt of how much of a legend he is at the football club. He’s in the conversation of best players ever to play for the football club. To be able to go have a teammate but also call him a friend and he’s been a close friend of mine for the last nine years. It’s an absolute privilege to have played with him, and yeah, it’ll be sad, you know, obviously the next couple of weeks if he’s farewell, but he’ll get this send-off he deserves because he’s a Premier League Legend, but he’s definitely a Liverpool legend.”
Salah has 255 goals for Liverpool in his nine seasons, after joining for £34 million from AS Roma.
Liverpool’s greatest – Mohamed Salah vs Kenny Dalglish
A journalist was quick to question whether Robertson rated Salah over Sir Kenny Dalglish, after he named the 33-year-old as Liverpool’s greatest. The defender was quick to clear that he still sees the former striker as the best to play for Scotland and the Anfield side, but the Egyptian was close behind, and said:
“He’s definitely one of the greatest. I would say Kenny [Sir Kenny Dalglish] probably pips him to that and I tell him that most days. But yeah, look, Kenny’s you know for me, Kenny’s the greatest player of all time for Scotland, and he’s the greatest player of all time for Liverpool.
But I think then behind that, you have three or four players that come into the conversation of you know who’s there, and Mo Salah definitely comes into that conversation, and it’s just an absolutely exciting time to be in, even the conversation with, you know, Danny Dalglish, Steven Gerrard, [and] Ian Rush. People like that. It’s you know, for more to be in the same sentence is an absolute credit to what he’s done over these last nine years.”
Robertson’s comments come just a day after Jurgen Klopp also hailed Salah as one of Liverpool’s greatest players.
