Jurgen Klopp believes elite talent no longer view Liverpool as a stepping stone as they look to reward Sadio Mane with a new long-term contract.

Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah have both penned lucrative extensions in recent months and the hope is that the Senegal international will follow suit and commit his future to the club over the coming months.

The Reds enjoy a good relationship with Mane's agent Bjorn Bezemer, who also represents new signing Naby Keita.

Preliminary discussions took place towards the end of last season when Liverpool made it clear they were prepared to recognise his dazzling contribution with a new contract which would put him among the club's highest earners.

Bezemer was a guest of the club at last week's USA tour game in New Jersey and both parties are relaxed about the situation. Mane, who scored 20 goals last season, has still got three years to run on the deal he signed on his arrival from Southampton in 2016 so there is no rush to thrash out an agreement.

Mane was linked with a move to Real Madrid earlier this summer but is happy at Anfield and has started pre-season in blistering form.

Philippe Coutinho's exit in January was a blow for Klopp, who had made it his mission to halt the talent drain and make Liverpool a final destination for top players.

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But the Reds boss believes Firmino and Salah's eagerness to stay put shows that times are changing on the back of last season's run to the Champions League final.

“That is what I meant when I spoke about the mood in the club, that's not only in the stands,” Klopp said.

“We are Liverpool as a team and the boys want to be part of it.

“That's really cool and it's a big achievement for the club because these boys, Bobby Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, and a lot of the others as well, could play for pretty much any team in the world.

“That's how it is and a good sign for the club. It is an improved situation that these players don't use us and then go. It's cool but now we all together have to deliver. Sign your contracts but now, go again.”

Klopp dismissed suggestions that Liverpool still need to replace Coutinho, who joined Barcelona for £142million.

The Reds battled on without him in the second half of last season before adding to their attacking armoury with the signings of Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri this summer.

They also had a £53million deal for Lyon's Nabil Fekir lined up but that transfer collapsed due to concerns over his medical.

"You cannot replace Phil Coutinho with exactly the same kind of player," Klopp added.

"He's Phil Coutinho. He has a specific style of play, tactically an outstanding player, can play as the winger, the 10, the eight - really great.

"I don't want to put one of my players in the position where people will now say constantly 'he's the Phil replacement'.

"I think the biggest thing we did in the second half of last season was that we didn't need to speak too much about Phil. That wasn't clear in January. How could we have known that?

"If we had still had Phil then we could have played with Phil in the final. Mo goes out (injured), but Phil still there. Phil on the left wing, bring Sadio to the other side, bring a midfielder on.....

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"It's a different story. It would have been nice but he wasn't here any more. We wish him well.

"We don't need to replace Phil. We need to make a squad for the next year. Out there on the market, there isn't a Phil Coutinho light. It's not there. But there are a lot of good players and we have brought a few of them in."