Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has claimed that there is deep animosity between Liverpool forwards Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah and that he wouldn’t be surprised if both players left Anfield in the summer.

Talking about the pair’s strained relationship, he said that he could see a situation where Mane leaves for Barcelona, while Salah could be off to their La Liga rivals Real Madrid:

“Don’t believe what they tell you about Mane and Salah not having much time for each other. It’s worse than that. They deeply dislike each other. Both would be a whole lot happier playing in a team without the other.”

“So – how does that happen? Do Liverpool sell one and keep the other? In an ideal world – yes. But I’ve got a feeling both could be on their way out. I fancy that Barca will test Liverpool’s resolve to hang on to Mane. And what else could he achieve at Liverpool? Salah will be thinking the same if Real come calling.”

What evidence Keys has to back up these assertions is anyone’s guess, but he is most likely basing his claims on the incident between the two players at Burnley earlier in the season.

Mane was furious with Salah after the Egyptian opted against passing to him to shoot on goal in the 3-0 win. It led to some theories that the two players disliked each other.

However, the pair quickly made up after the dispute at Turf Moor, and there has been no sign of a difficult relationship between them since then.