Liverpool midfielder Fabinho has suggested his teammate Mohamed Salah is "happier than before" after extending his stay with the Reds until 2025.

The 30-year-old has been a key player for the Merseysiders and his previous deal was set to expire at the end of next season. However, he opted to stay three more years with an option to extend further.

The Brazil international believes it was important for the attacker to stay at the club after the exit of Sadio Mane to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

"That [signing a new contract] was really important, especially after losing Sadio," Fabinho told the Athletic.

"We knew Mo had to stay in the team and keep playing with us. I am really happy for him that the contract got sorted. I think he’s happier than before.

"In the last five years, he’s been maybe the best player in this team and has shown how important he is for the club."

Having scored 156 goals in 254 games for Liverpool since 2017, Fabinho believes Salah is already a legend. The versatile midfielder has, however, committed to help the Egypt international become the best player in the history of the club.

"He is already a legend of Liverpool," the 28-year-old Fabinho, who joined the Reds from Monaco in 2018, continued.

With this new deal, he can go on to become the best player in the history of the club. I will really try to help him achieve this."

Fabinho further revealed he had hoped Mane would reject the Bavarians' advances and stay in the Premier League.

"At the end of the season, I spoke a lot with Sadio. He told me about the situation that he could leave," the Brazil international continued.

"I was always saying to him: 'Come on Sadio, stay here. You can win the Premier League and the Champions League right here, don't leave. But I think he had already made up his mind. We had to respect that.

Sadio had a really good story in a Liverpool shirt. He played for six years here and during that time he won everything you can win and he decided that he wanted a new challenge. That's okay.

"After the parade in Liverpool, everyone said goodbye to him. We knew there was a good chance he would be leaving.

"I always kept some hope that he would still stay but then it was all confirmed."