Inter Milan manager and upcoming Champions League opponent Simone Inzaghi has already counseled Liverpool sensation Mohamed Salah on his next move.
The Reds will face reigning Serie A champions Inter in the last 16 of Europe's top club competition after the draw was completed at the second attempt on Monday.
This means that Inzaghi will have the near-impossible task of preparing his team to beat Salah over two legs in early 2022, with a quarter-final spot on the line.
The Egyptian striker, 29, has been in excellent form this season, scoring the game-winning goal against Aston Villa in a tense Premier League match on Saturday.
Salah's mesmerizing displays are set against the backdrop of his protracted contract dispute with the Liverpool hierarchy.
The former Chelsea player has 18 months left on his contract and, according to Mirror Sport, he wants to be Liverpool's highest earner.
The Reds, however, are hesitant to give him a lucrative, long-term extension due to his age, and negotiations have stalled as the situation approaches a breaking point.
Salah is one of the best players in the world, according to the 45-year-old.
"When I was a young coach at Lazio and he was a player at Roma, I kept a close eye on him."
Salah scored twice in Roma's 3-2 Coppa Italia win over Lazio in April 2017, Inzaghi's first full season in charge, but Lazio advanced to the final on a 4-3 aggregate win.
He joined Liverpool for around £35 million that summer and has since scored a steady stream of goals to help Jurgen Klopp's side win the Premier League and the Champions League.
Salah's impasse with his club has drew attention from across Europe and beyond due to his superstar status.
In September, Inzaghi met with the Liverpool player and advised him to go with his gut during contract negotiations.
"Mohamed Salah is a fantastic player," Inter coach Claudio Ranieri told Al Ain Sports in the Middle East. "My advice to him is to think with his heart before moving forward, and to do what is best for himself."
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