Mohamed Salah is set to commit his long-term future to Liverpool, according to Egypt's sports minister Ashraf Sobhi.
Salah is out of contract in 2023 and is yet to reach an agreement with Liverpool over a new deal.
Contract talks have stalled in recent months, with Liverpool unwilling to match Salah's reported wage demands of more than £400,000 a week.
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But reports claim that a compromise is close to being reached, with Salah set to sign a new four-year deal at Anfield.
Sobhi says he advised Salah to leave Liverpool following Egypt's World Cup play-off defeat to Senegal but has confirmed the forward intends to remain on Merseyside.
“I met with Mohamed Salah at the airport after the end of the Senegal match and the failure to reach the World Cup finals and said to him to forget what happened and focus on what’s next,” Sobhi told Egyptian radio.
“I have advised him to continue his journey at a club other than Liverpool, but his direction now is to renew his contract with Liverpool.
“There are campaigns against Salah directed by some to bring him down, but I asked him not to pay attention to them.”
When asked about how the contract talks are progressing, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said on Monday: “I am happy with it because there’s nothing new to say, that’s good.
“Just good. The decisive parties are talking to each other and that’s all I need. That’s it.”
Liverpool travel to face Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
Klopp's side then face Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday in a crucial match in the Premier League title race.
Liverpool will overtake City with a victory away from home, while Pep Guardiola's side will move four points clear of the Reds if they win this weekend.
Topics: Liverpool, Mohamed Salah, Premier League, Football, Egypt, Transfers
Rory O'Callaghan