Former Liverpool star lauds ‘position mannequin’ Mo Salah – however refuses to defend his previous boss Arne Slot after explosive fallout

Former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah has praised ‘role model’ Mo Salah – but he refused to defend his ex manager Arne Slot.

The 22-year-old quit Anfield in the summer after difficulties with the Dutch boss and has since excelled at Bayer Leverkusen, winning his England debut last month.

Quansah has been watching events unfold on Merseyside, where Salah’s explosive fallout with Slot has made headlines around the world. 

And the centre-back, who faces Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday night, has lauded the character and attitude of his old team-mate.

‘I can only speak on when I was there and what I saw from Mo. A great role model, a great character around the dressing room who obviously had an unbelievable season and helped us win the trophy (Premier League),’ said Quansah.

‘From what I’ve seen, it’s nothing but positive. He’s helped me through tough times, he’s definitely done that. I can’t speak from the outside. I’m just sort of a Liverpool fan and looking like everyone else.’

Jarrell Quansah, pictured in action for Bayer Leverkusen, was full of praise for Mo Salah

Salah’s explosive interview after Slot did not bring him on against Leeds made headlines 

But when asked for his take on Slot, Quansah was less enthusiastic.

‘It’s not about what it was last year and what was happening,’ he said. ‘I’m totally focused on what I’m doing now. I don’t need to speak about my relationships with other managers. 

‘It’s about what I’m doing here at Leverkusen now and the task at hand tomorrow is more important.’

Quansah will be tasked with marking Nick Woltemade at the BayArena, and the Newcastle and Germany striker has hit back at the noise in his homeland that followed his £69million transfer from Stuttgart in the summer. 

Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge branded Newcastle ‘idiots’ for paying so much.

‘To be honest, I don’t care,’ said Woltemade, who has scored seven times for the Magpies. 

‘I think a lot of people speak about me, and if I would listen to everything, what it’s saying about me, I can’t focus on myself anymore, so I don’t read it.

‘I’m just taking care of myself, and focus on myself, and that’s the way that helps me the best. At the end, I’m not deciding what someone is paying for me, but I can say I’m really happy that Newcastle is paying this for me because I’m really happy that I’m now in Newcastle.’