Liverpool have removed Mohamed Salah from their squad for the match in Milan, sparking interest from the Saudi Professional League.
Liverpool manager Arne Slott has confirmed he will meet with Mohamed Salah to decide whether the Egyptian international will feature in Saturday’s Premier League Championship match at Brighton & Hove Albion.
The 33-year-old forward, who won the UEFA Champions League and two Premier League titles with the Anfield-based club, sparked controversy after his reaction to being substituted on the bench for last Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United.
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Salah was on the bench for the third consecutive game and told reporters after the game against Leeds that he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club for their poor start to their recent title defense, with the team languishing in 10th place with 23 points from 15 games.
As a result, the former Chelsea and Roma forward was left out of the squad that travels to Italy for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Inter Milan.
As a result, rumors regarding Salah’s future at Liverpool increased, with interest from the Saudi Professional League confirmed.
Slott avoided commenting on the matter after the match in Milan, but following the player’s harsh criticism, he began to speculate calmly about Salah’s future.
“I’m going to have a conversation with Mr. Mo this morning, and the outcome of that conversation will determine what the situation is tomorrow,” Slott told reporters Friday.
When asked if he wanted Salah to stay at the club, Slott said: “There’s no reason why I wouldn’t want him to stay.”
When pressed about Salah’s position, Slott refused to give any guarantees.
“I think the next time we talk about Mo, it should be with him and not here. We can keep trying, but there’s nothing more to say,” he said.
Talks ongoing over Salah’s Liverpool future amid transfer rumors
The Dutchman confirmed that negotiations had begun between the two sides after the second of the three matches in which Salah was on the bench.
“After the Sunderland game there was a lot of conversation between his representatives and our representatives and between him and me,” he added.
Slott also revealed that the decision to keep Salah at home for the trip to Milan was the result of discussions within the club.
“I am in constant contact with them (sporting director Richard Hughes and chief football officer Michael Edwards) and they rely on me when it comes to line-up and team decisions.
“That doesn’t mean I won’t talk to them, mainly Richard and not Michael. The decision to play or to have them in the team is completely up to me.”
Salah, nicknamed ‘The King of Egypt’, has endured a turbulent season after an exceptional 2024-25 campaign.
He is due to leave for the African Cup of Nations on Monday, with his international team-mates already supporting their colleague, leaving Liverpool to try to extend his four-game unbeaten run in all competitions while calming the chaos off the field.
With Saudi Arabian suitors circling and Salah hinting that his time at Liverpool could be coming to an end, it remains unclear whether he will return to Anfield after that.
Isak doubts whether to play in Liverpool’s Premier League match against Brighton
There was a question mark over Alexander Isak’s status on Saturday, with Slott saying the player picked up a bruise in the first half against Inter Milan and would be evaluated on Friday before deciding whether he could start.
Slott said he was happy with Isaac and Hugo Ekitike’s collaboration, and that their partnership would continue to improve.
“The more we play together, the more we adapt to each other and work together better,” Slott said. “I saw promise in both of them. This is only the second time they’ve played together. I’m sure we’ll see them play together more in the future.”
In the slot, Federico Chiesa will be available on Saturday after recovering from illness, while Wataru Endo and Cody Gakpo are expected to be out for “several weeks”.
