Real Madrid approached Mohamed Salah in 2018, former Egypt coach claims

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Cairo, May 17: Real Madrid made an offer to Liverpool star Mohamed Salah in the months leading up to their 2018 Champions League final clash, according to a former member of coaching staff for the Egypt national team.

Salah enjoyed a stellar 2017-18 campaign, scoring 32 Premier League goals and supplying 10 assists.

However, his bid for European glory with the Reds ended in heartbreak, after a tussle with Sergio Ramos saw him depart the final in Kiev with an injured shoulder.

Jurgen Klopp's men went on to lose 3-1 and Salah embarked on a race against time to be fit for Egypt's World Cup campaign in Russia.

The ex-Roma forward scored twice but the Pharaohs lost every game as they bowed out limply at the group stage.

According to former Egypt international Hany Ramzy, Salah discussed an approach from Madrid with then national team boss Hector Cuper during a March 2018 training camp in Switzerland.

Ramzy told Egyptian television channel OnTimes Sports that he was present and also party to the conversation, even though he only joined the coaching staff under Cuper's successor Javier Aguirre.

"I was talking to Salah and he told me that Real Madrid sent him an offer," he said.

"The offer was really good, but Salah discussed it with me and Mr. Cuper, and he decided to stay with Liverpool because he was comfortable there."

Ramzy left the Egypt setup along with all of Aguirre's staff when they were dismissed in the aftermath of a last-16 exit from the African Cup of Nations on home soil last year.

Nevertheless, Salah retains huge ambitions in the continental tournament.

"Salah is ambitious. He told us that he wanted to win AFCON three times in a row, as Egypt did in 2006, 2008, 2010," Ramzy added.