Liverpool news: Klopp details ‘first thing’ Mohamed Salah told him upon AFCON return | Football | Sport

Jurgen Klopp has revealed Mohamed Salah has declared himself ready to face Leicester on Thursday – the first thing he mentioned when he was reunited with the Liverpool boss back on Merseyside following the Africa Cup of Nations. The 29-year-old flew back to England on Monday from Cameroon after the Pharaohs’ agonising penalty-shootout defeat in Sunday’s final to Senegal in Yaounde.

Now Salah is looking to put the defeat behind him as he focuses on helping his club side Liverpool.

The forward is now determined to feature for the Reds on Thursday when Leicester visit Anfield having not featured since the 2-2 draw with Chelsea last month.

Klopp is keen to wait before making any decision but confessed Salah is pushing to start, something he has made clear to his manager.

“Mo is now back, I spoke already to him. He is very disappointed of course, but looking forward to all the things coming up here now,” Klopp told LFC TV.

READ MORE: Liverpool star Mohamed Salah handed shot at redemption after painful AFCON final defeat

Sadio Mane is set to sit out of the clash after he scored the winning penalty for Senegal on Sunday.

The jet-heeled winger is not due to arrive back on Merseyside until Wednesday evening after heading to Dakar to celebrate his nation’s first-ever international trophy.

There is now extra competition in attack for Mane and Salah though at Anfield following the £37.5million capture of Luis Diaz from Porto.

The Colombian provided an assist for Takumi Minamino during an impressive 30-minute cameo on his debut against Cardiff on Sunday.

He will also be pushing to feature, while Harvey Elliott marked his return from injury with his first Liverpool goal.

Klopp added on AFCON champion Mane: “Sadio flies out if it’s possible on Wednesday night, so will arrive here on Thursday but he is, of course, then not involved in the Leicester game.

“It means the world to him, it means the world to his people, it means the world to Senegal and we respect that a lot and we would never consider to have called back him from there or whatever – let them do what they do in the moment because they deserve it.

“They’ve had an incredibly intense time, so when he is back we will talk to him and we will see how we can use him.”