Liverpool are determined to rebuff further approaches from Al-Ittihad for Mohamed Salah but the next few days are likely to prove every bit of the challenge manager Jurgen Klopp predicted. Mike Gordon, president of owners Fenway Sports Group, politely but firmly rejected the Saudi Pro League’s offer of a £150million deal for the Egypt international and declared the matter closed as far as the club were concerned. However, with the Pro League’s transfer window open until Thursday, there is the very real prospect Al-Ittihad will return with an improved bid which will have even more of a destabilising effect. Which is why Klopp again expressed his concern about the discrepancy as “nobody (in Europe) can react any more”. When Saudi interest in the 31-year-old first reared its head last month, the Egyptian’s agent Ramy Abbas wrote on Twitter on August 7: “If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC.” Abbas has not been as forthcoming this time around and although the Salah bid has undoubtedly loomed large over preparations for Sunday’s visit of Aston Villa, Klopp said he had seen “absolutely nothing” to worry about and that Salah was “super-committed”. However, this week’s developments look like the start of a long goodbye for Salah, who will be 32 next summer and in the final year of his £350,000-a-week contract – which easily makes him the highest-paid player in the club’s history – with Liverpool more likely to be amenable to a sale at that point. While the focus of Salah, who has scored scored 138 goals in 221 Premier League appearances, has never been in doubt, Klopp also believes fellow forward Darwin Nunez has a renewed drive following his match-winning two-goal appearance off the bench at Newcastle last week. “Massive, massive, that’s clear. That’s what he wants, what we want,” Klopp said of the effect it would have on the Uruguay international, who started the season as fifth-choice forward. “It’s exactly how it should have been – being a massive threat. You could, of course, see it the next day. But everybody could feel it.” Villa have impressed under Unai Emery this season as, after an opening-day defeat at Newcastle, they have won four successive matches in all competitions. “Aston Villa is a machine – counter-attack, good organised, everyone committed 100 per cent. When they defend deep then they defend with their all and from there they go,” said Klopp. “It’s a massive game, no doubt about it. Yeah, we have to play a top game to get something out of it. “After that it is the international break, so we could make a good start (and) turn it into a really good start to the season result-wise. “But there are a massive 115 minutes in between now and then.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live There is no substitute for international cricket – England’s Jonny Bairstow Novak Djokovic survives scare in bid for record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title Day five at US Open: Novak Djokovic avoids shock as Iga Swiatek upsets best mate

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A sixth consecutive night of rioting across France saw a young Paris fireman die as he tried to put out a blaze in an underground car park today. The 24-year-old, who has not been named, was on Monday part of an emergency operation in the troubled northern suburb of Saint-Denis. Rioting spread across the country following the fatal shooting by police of 17-year-old boy Nahel in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, said: “Overnight, while fighting against a blaze involving several vehicles in an underground car park in Saint-Denis, a young Corporal-Chief of the Paris Fire Brigade died despite very rapid treatment by his teammates.” The ongoing violence saw 157 arrests between Sunday and Monday, said Mr Darmanin. The grandmother of 17-year-old Nahel, identified only as Nadia, said in a telephone interview with French news broadcaster BFM TV, “Don’t break windows, buses ... schools. We want to calm things down.” The aunt of the slain teen told The Independent: “The family is very much against the violence. “But I hope that Nahel’s death is going to trigger some kind of change that means this never happens again.” Read More Where are the riots in France and why are they happening? Is it safe to travel to Paris right now? Aunt of teenager whose death sparked riots across France pleads for violence to stop Paris protesters ram burning car into mayor’s home and leave family injured in ‘assassination attempt’

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Emiliano Martinez was booed at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday night as he collected the best goalkeeper’s Yashin Trophy. Martinez thwarted France in the 2022 World Cup final, making a crucial one-on-one save from Randal Kolo Muani in extra time to take the game to penalties, before making two more saves in the shootout to help clinch Argentina’s first World Cup since 1986. The Aston Villa goalkeeper was criticised in the aftermath of the final, however, for his overzealous celebrations when he was pictured carrying a doll of France captain Kylian Mbappe during the trophy parade in Buenos Aires. Martinez arrived at Ballon d’Or ceremony to chants of “Mbappe!” outside the venue. Later, after receiving his award from his father on stage, boos could be heard as he was interviewed by host Didier Drogba while a video played his famous save from Kolo Muani in the background. Martinez’s teammate Lionel Messi won a record eighth Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world, beating Norway's Uefa player of the year and treble winner Erling Haaland of Manchester City to the prestigious prize. The 36-year-old is now three Ballons d’Or clear of rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the last of his five trophies in 2017. Messi has now finished among the top three a record 14 times in total, finishing runner-up on five occasions. “I couldn’t imagine having the career that I’ve had. Everything that I’ve achieved. The fortune I’ve had playing for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It’s nice to win these individual trophies. To win the Copa America and then the World Cup, to get it done is amazing,” Messi said. “All of them (Ballon d’Or awards) are special for different reasons,” he added. “I’m happy to get that recognition that I'm getting thanks to what we have achieved with the national team,” Messi told Reuters. “This (World Cup) title we had been aiming for for so many years makes it even more special.” Asked if he would carry on until the 2026 World Cup, Messi said: “I don't think about it. I’ll enjoy (my career) day by day. There will first be the Copa America in the United States (in 2024). (The World Cup), I don’t think about it.” Spain’s World Cup winner and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the women’s Ballon d’Or. “It’s an individual trophy but it can’t exist without a team,” she said. Messi, who won his first Ballon d'Or in 2009 and claimed four in a row until 2012, finished second to Haaland at the Uefa awards in August. Haaland, 23, was one of the firm favourites for his first Ballon d'Or after scoring 52 goals in 53 matches in all competitions last season as City won the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. But Argentina's magical run at the World Cup in Qatar, where Messi earned the Golden Ball for best overall player and Silver Boot (seven goals and three assists), helped him pip the Norwegian striker to the award. The World Cup was the only major trophy missing from Messi's resume as Argentina made amends for losing the 2014 final to Germany while in March he became only the third player in history to score 100 international goals. Messi also won the Ligue 1 title with Paris St Germain before moving to Inter Miami, where he helped the Major League Soccer side win the Leagues Cup -- their first major trophy. Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham won the Kopa Trophy for the best Under-21 player, while club team mate Vinicius Jr was awarded the Socrates Award for his humanitarian work off the pitch. Additional reporting by Reuters Read More Lionel Messi leaves the Ballon d’Or stage with his legacy complete Football is about to enter the ‘Jude Bellingham era’ Messi wins record eighth Ballon d’Or as Bonmati and Bellingham also pick up awards Ballon d’Or Awards LIVE: Latest updates as Messi and Bonmati win Georgia Stanway disappointed to miss ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ Ballon d’Or ceremony Sir Bobby Charlton: England’s greatest ever player and the artist of 1966