Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has predicted that Mohamed Salah will remain a Liverpool player next season as no other team can afford the Egyptian forward.
Salah has been in inspired form since joining the Reds from Roma last summer, netting 43 goals in 47 matches and being crowned PFA Player of the Year.
Fabregas, who briefly played alongside the 25-year-old at Stamford Bridge, does not expect his ex-teammate to leave Anfield for at least another year, despite suggestions that Real Madrid have showed an interest.
"I coincided with Salah in my first season at Chelsea before he left for Fiorentina," he told Cadena Cope. "He was young, he hardly played, but you could already see that he had talent. He always worked very hard and he gave his all.
"Football is a lot about confidence. The confidence that a coach can give you nowadays to achieve your best form is key. It is for a coach to play you in the right position, to help you, to make you improve - this is crucial. That's happened to Salah.
"Liverpool exploit his qualities to the maximum. Salah is talented, he is fast, he scores. Liverpool have players that open the doors to find Salah the space he needs. He has found the right place, the ideal time to shine, and he is doing a great job.
"Right now if you are Liverpool and considering the season he has had, I don't know how much you can ask for a player like him. I doubt that there is a club that can pay what Liverpool would ask for Salah. I'm sure Liverpool will not let him go easily. It's hard to see Salah leaving Liverpool, at least this year."
Salah scored twice and set up two more in his last outing, giving Liverpool a 5-2 first-leg lead in their Champions League semi-final clash against former club Roma.
Daniel Lewis
