Jurgen Klopp: Mohamed Salah 'essential' to Liverpool amid interest from Al Ittihad

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said Mohamed Salah remains an essential part of his team and there is "nothing there" regarding the speculation linking the Egyptian with a move to Saudi champions Al Ittihad.

Reports emerged on Thursday night claiming Ittihad had renewed their interest in Salah and were prepared to double their previous contract offer for the 31-year-old forward. The previous offer, when Ittihad had identified Salah as a top target earlier in the summer, was understood to be worth €180 million over two years.

Ittihad are reportedly ready to make an opening transfer bid of £52m ($65m) to Liverpool in order to begin contract talks with Salah, although the Premier League club are reluctant to lose their star player this summer.

Speaking on Friday during his pre-match press conference, ahead of Liverpool's Premier League match at Newcastle United, Klopp was asked about the latest Salah speculation.

“Talk about media stories, nothing to talk about from my point of view. He is a Liverpool player," Klopp said. “He is essential and will be. There is nothing there. My life philosophy is, I think about a problem when I have it.”

Salah's agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, had earlier this month dismissed speculation his client was close to leaving Liverpool for Saudi, posting on social media: “If we considered leaving [Liverpool] this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer,” Issa wrote. “Mohamed remains committed to LFC.”

And it appears, according to Klopp, that his stance has not changed. When asked if Salah is still committed to Liverpool, the German replied: "100 per cent."

Salah, who signed a new three-year deal with Liverpool last summer, will again be a key player for Klopp this season, and the