The immediate future of Mohamed Salah at Liverpool is shrouded in doubt after head coach Arne Slot conceded he has “no clue” if the Egyptian star has played his final game for the club. Slot’s admission came as he directly addressed the escalating public rift with his forward, insisting his calm demeanor should not be mistaken for a lack of authority.
Salah was a notable omission from the squad that traveled to face Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday. The decision, Slot confirmed Monday from the club’s training ground, was made by the Liverpool hierarchy with his full support. It followed Salah’s explosive post-match comments after Saturday’s defeat at Leeds, where he claimed his relationship with the manager had broken down and suggested someone at the club had “thrown him under a bus.”
Slot pushed back forcefully against that characterization. “That is not the way I feel, but he has the right to feel how he feels things,” said the Dutchman. He expressed surprise at the timing and nature of Salah’s interview, noting the player had been respectful in training after being benched. “It is not the first or last time a player who doesn’t play says something similar. But my reaction to that is clear and that’s why he is not here tonight.”
Pressed repeatedly on whether there remains a path back for the club’s third-highest all-time scorer, Slot’s answers grew more ambiguous. “I am a firm believer that there is always a possibility to return for a player. But that is not… I can leave it with that I think,” he stated initially. Asked directly if Salah might have already made his final appearance, the coach was blunt. “I have no clue. I cannot answer that question at this point in time.”
The situation leaves Liverpool in a precarious spot, both on and off the pitch. Salah is due to join Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations camp on Monday, potentially keeping him away from Merseyside until mid-January. That window is expected to reignite serious interest from Saudi Arabian clubs, testing Liverpool’s resolve regarding a player under contract until 2027.
Slot emphasized that his polite nature has limits. “Usually I’m calm, I’m polite,” he remarked. “But that doesn’t mean I’m weak so if a player has these comments about so many things then it’s up to me and the club to react. We reacted in a way you can see – he’s not here.” The coach revealed he has had only a brief exchange with Salah since Saturday, specifically to inform him he was being left behind.
Within the squad, goalkeeper Alisson offered a diplomatic perspective when he met the media. “I don’t think anything but I hope he plays again for the club,” the Brazilian said. “That’s a personal situation between Mo and the club. We as his teammates and his friends, we hope the best thing happens for him, but as Liverpool players we want the best for the club as well. We want a win-win situation for everyone.”
Alisson also voiced unwavering support for Slot amid a tough run of form, acknowledging the difficulty of following Jürgen Klopp. Meanwhile, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher launched a stern critique of Salah on Sky Sports. Carragher accused the forward of timing his outburst to exploit a moment of vulnerability for the club and manager. “I’d remind Salah and his agent that before he came to Liverpool he was known as the man who failed at Chelsea,” Carragher stated.
The standoff overshadows a critical Champions League fixture for which Liverpool are already depleted. Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, and Wataru Endo are all absent through injury or illness, leaving Slot with a thin squad of 19 players including three goalkeepers. How long Salah remains absent beyond the Inter game is now the dominant question. Slot confirmed the Egyptian could also miss Saturday’s Premier League match against Brighton, pushing his potential return date for club duty deep into the new year if he returns at all.
