Mohamed Salah speculation ends after eye-opening remarks from Liverpool coach Arne Slot
Over the past few weeks, Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool has been shrouded in uncertainty. This stemmed from the reduced role the Egyptian winger experienced under coach Arne Slot, which fueled speculation about a possible exit from the club. Now, the Dutch coach has issued a clear statement on the matter.
During Friday’s press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League match against Burnley, Slot was asked about Salah’s situation. The winger will play Egypt’s third-place match against Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations this weekend before returning to club duties.
“First of all, he needs to play another big game for Egypt on Saturday and then he comes back to us,” the Liverpool coach said, according to BBC Sport, acknowledging that Salah’s immediate priority should be with his national team.
“I am happy that he comes back. Mo has been so important for this club, for me, so I am happy that he is back,” Slot added. To clear up any doubts about whether Salah will be considered upon his return to Liverpool, the coach also stated: “Even if I had 15 attackers I still would have been happy if he came back but that is not our current situation.”
How did Liverpool fare without Salah?
Mohamed Salah left England in mid-December to join the Egypt national team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. He has played in five of the six tournament matches, scoring four goals and recording one assist, key contributions that helped Egypt reach the semifinals.
During that time, Liverpool continued their Premier League campaign, and Salah’s absence was noticeable. The Reds won two matches and drew three without their star forward, leaving them 14 points behind league leaders Arsenal in the standings. Additionally, they played an FA Cup match, defeating Barnsley 4-1.
The Salah conflict at Liverpool
Although Arne Slot’s words during Friday’s press conference indicate a positive attitude toward Mohamed Salah, memories of the conflict between the coach and the 33-year-old winger remain fresh at Liverpool.
The tension began in late November, when Slot surprisingly left Salah on the bench for two Premier League matches against West Ham and Leeds United. This prompted the Egyptian winger to make strong public statements, claiming he had no relationship with the coach and adding, “Someone doesn’t want me in the club.”
Tensions escalated to the point that Salah did not travel to Italy for Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League match against Inter Milan. However, the situation began to ease when Slot later included Salah for 64 minutes in a victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. Now, more than a month later, the tension appears to have dissipated, and all signs point to Salah returning to play at Anfield once he comes back from Africa.