Mohamed Salah has admitted he's always looking for "new ways" to improve his prolific record - as his Liverpool contract talks continue to drag on.
The Egypt international, 29, has just one year remaining on his existing deal and it's unclear whether he'll stay at Anfield. It's believed he's willing to commit his future to Liverpool but is also interested in joining Barcelona on a free transfer next summer.
The Reds are keen to keep Salah on their books after a stunning season. He scored 31 goals and provided 16 assists for Liverpool in 2021-22 to help them win the FA Cup and EFL Cup. They also reached the final of the Champions League, losing 1-0 to Real Madrid.
Salah has been rewarded for his efforts last term, winning the PFA Players' Player of the Year award ahead of Kevin De Bruyne, Son Heung-min and Cristiano Ronaldo. He was also named the FWA Football of the Year, completing a prestigious double.
Furthermore, Salah won the Premier League's Playmaker award and shared the Golden Boot with Son. Speaking to France Football - the organisers of the Ballon d'Or - the former Chelsea and Roma forward revealed how he improved his game ahead of last term.
"Last summer, on holiday in Greece, lying in front of the sea, I was asking myself how to be a better footballer, which is getting harder and harder because I always have two or three defenders behind me," said Salah, as quoted by Spanish outlet Marca.
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"I have to invent new ways to open up the game in front of me, to find other spaces. This reflection has paid off, my statistics have improved. My [opposing] defender has to say to himself: 'Damn, him again!'. My goal is that he doesn't have time to catch his breath. He has to feel in danger every moment of the ninety minutes."
Salah has never won the Ballon d'Or and is expected to miss out on the prestigious award again this season after Karim Benzema's stunning campaign. The veteran forward, 33, has scored 44 goals in 46 games this term to help Real complete a treble.
Carlo Ancelotti's team won the La Liga title, the Champions League and Supercopa de Espana. Benzema also tasted success at international level by helping France win the Nations League last October - scoring in both the semi-final and final.
Salah, meanwhile, suffered heartbreak with Egypt. His nation lost the Africa Cup of Nations final on penalties to Sadio Mane's Senegal before suffering the exact same fate when the two countries met in a play-off to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar.
On his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or, Salah said: "I want to win it to join George Weah, the only African [to win it]. It's true that I was shocked by my ranking in 2021 [seventh].
"For this year, the defeat against Real is a disadvantage, even if I played a good game in the final. But it doesn't cancel out everything I've achieved for months. Let's wait for the vote. And if I'm not Ballon d'Or in 2022, I'll do everything I can to be the next one."
