Liverpool are reportedly ready to spurn any interest shown by the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona in superstar signing Mohamed Salah, with talk the two European giants are set for a bidding war over the player. 

Salah has enjoyed an astonishing first season at Anfield and is said to have attracted the attention of Real in particular, but the Daily Mail‘s Dominic King wrote that the Reds will reject any advances for their star.

According to The Sun (h/t Daily Mirror), Real and Barca will rival the £200 million fee Paris Saint-Germain paid for Neymar as they look to sign the Egypt international, who has scored 36 goals in 41 games for Liverpool.

The Merseysiders already stand to make a major profit on their signing, but that temptation to cash in seemingly won’t win this time as Salah leads Europe’s goal race, per ESPN FC:

It’s said any enquiries regarding Salah will be met with the same response—that he is not for sale. Liverpool seem eager to handle his case differently to the deals that saw Philippe Coutinho (2018) and Luis Suarez (2014) leave for Barcelona in recent times.

Not even manager Jurgen Klopp could have anticipated the success former Chelsea flop Salah would have back in the Premier League, and ex-England defender Matthew Upson described his miraculous return on Sky Sports’ The Debate:

It all sounds familiar in that Liverpool were similarly staunch in regards to their stance on selling Coutinho last summer. The Reds managed to keep the Brazilian last year but eventually relented and sold him to Barca this past January.

The biggest benefit to their cause right now is that Salah appears to be loving his time on Merseyside.

The four-year deal he signed upon arrival from AS Roma last summer reportedly sees him earn £90,000 per week, a figure Real are said to be willing to improve if they get the feeling he’d want a move to Madrid.

Close control at lightning speeds and goals galore have even earned Salah comparisons to Barca behemoth Lionel Messi, comparisons the attacker has said he’s happy to receive, via ESPN FC:

Sky Sports’ Guillem Balague recently discussed the prospect of Gareth Bale leaving Real Madrid this summer, and Salah would be a prime candidate to take his spot on the wing—although Los Blancos must find a buyer of their own first.

It’s crucial Liverpool build around successful signings like Salah if they wish to return to the summit of the European stage.