Salah has been in fine form since moving to Anfield in the summer and leads the Premier League goal-scoring chart with 13 strikes so far, catching Zidane's eye in the process.

"Salah is a great player. He showed that at Roma, now at Liverpool," the report quotes Zidane as saying. "He's still young and is improving all the time. I don't talk much about other players, but he is a player I rate a lot."

It had been assumed that Eden Hazard was Real Madrid's next Galactico target, but Egypt coach Hector Cuper has also suggested that the Spanish giants are plotting a huge bid for Salah.