“I want to be like him” - Ibrahima Konate says he’s a big fan of ‘crazy’ Liverpool attacker
Ibrahima Konate has waxed lyrical about Mohamed Salah and dubbed his Liverpool teammate a 'big inspiration.' The Egyptian superstar has become one of the best players in Reds history during his seven-year stay at Anfield.
Salah impresses not only at club level but also with Egypt on the international stage. The veteran forward has bagged 55 goals and 33 assists in 98 caps, making him his nation's all-time top scorer.
Konate heaped praise on Salah and explained how he is awestruck by the prolific attacker's goalscoring consistency. The French defender told Liverpoolfc.com:
"This guy is crazy! I'm a very big fan of Mo. It's crazy, every season it's always the same story. Even when he goes to the Africa Cup [of Nations] he has a lot of goals. I don't understand how he does that really. He's a big inspiration for me because I saw it every day how he works and I want to be like him."
Salah joined Liverpool from AS Roma in July 2017 for a reported £36.9 million. He'd previously spent time at Chelsea in the Premier League, and many weren't expecting him to become the all-time great he is today.
The three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner has made an excellent start to the new season. He was on target twice in wins against Ipswich Town (2-0) and Brentford (2-0) while also providing an assist.
"He looks hungry" - Paul Robinson thinks Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has the bit between his teeth this season
Salah finished last season with yet another prolific tally to his name, hitting 25 goals and 14 assists in 44 games across competitions. He and Liverpool were unable to claim the Premier League title, though, falling short several weeks before Manchester City reigned supreme.
That was Jurgen Klopp's final season in charge at Anfield, and Arne Slot replaced the iconic German coach. Salah has somewhat of a refresh under the former Feyenoord manager and looks raring to go.
Paul Robinson spoke about Salah's demeanor and how hungry he looks at the start of the new season. The former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper told BBC Radio 5 Live:
"Mo Salah looks really lively, I think in pre-season, he was the best I’ve seen him looking for a long, long time...he looks fit, he looks hungry, somebody at 32 years old to have the energy and enthusiasm, athleticism that he’s got, he’s such a huge part of this Liverpool team, you look at his numbers every single year, it’s incredible."
Salah's future was the subject of speculation last summer when the Reds rejected a £150 million offer from Al-Ittihad. There wasn't as much talk over his situation this summer, and he looks excited for a season under Slot.