Mohamed Salah's old coach at El-Mokawloon can see the Liverpool striker moving to Spain.

Hamdi Nooh worked with Salah in Egypt at El-Mokawloon before he left for Switzerland and FC Basel. Salah turned pro with El-Mokawloon, coming through the club's youth system before tasting first team football for the first time in 2010. After two years with the Egyptian club, Salah was sold to Basel for €2.5m.

For Nooh, Salah's progress in Europe has come as no suprise. The experienced coach says the Egyptian great always had the mentality to get the best from his ability - and to always work on fixing his faults.

Nooh recalled to AS: "I met him when he was 14 years old and he was already strong physically and mentally. Those qualities helped him to be a very fast footballer with and without the ball. Off the field he was polite and decent.

"He used to focus on positive things, but he also worked on improving his weak points to improve day by day. He lived far from the training centre and had to make a great effort to come."

Salah and Liverpool are in Spain today for tonight's first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. Inevitably, Nooh was asked about the prospect of his protégé joining Real Madrid in the future - but he played the question with a straight bat.

Asked about a future with Real Madrid, Nooh continued: "Yes, he may think about leaving Liverpool in case there is a better offer, but it is my own opinion. He is unique and his family is everything to him.

"I enjoy watching Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, but my heart will always be where Salah is. Anyway, I will be very happy if he goes to a Spanish club. Spanish football is my favorite."

- updated March 6