Arne Slot makes HUGE Mo Salah call with forward away at Afcon | OneFootball

Liverpool’s season threatened to be thrown into even further disarray a couple of weeks back.

Following the 3-3 draw with Leeds at Elland Road Mo Salah gave an interview which rocked the foundations of the club. The 33-year-old described his relationship with Arne Slot as non-existent and suggested there was a plot to force him out of Anfield.

The Egyptian King was left out of the squad for the next game - away at Inter in the Champions League - before being restored to the squad for the Premier League assignment against Brighton last weekend.

Salah was sprung from the bench inside the first half - contributing an assist for Hugo Ekitike in a 2-0 win. But that game may have told a story about Salah’s Liverpool future under Arne Slot.

Salah no longer in Liverpool's best XI

Although he was waved off to the Africa Cup of Nations with relationships apparently restored the two-time African Footballer of the Year will NOT be back in the Liverpool starting lineup anytime soon.

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That’s according to Liverpool insider James Pearce - who claims that the Dutch tactician no longer sees Salah as part of his best XI.

“Well, Arne Slot insisted after Salah’s game that his phrase was that there is no issue to resolve and that it’s now just back to being business as usual. I think I’m not quite kind of along with that,” he told the Walk On podcast.

Pearce: 'Still an issue' between Slot and Salah

“I think my understanding is that there’s going to be more discussions between Liverpool Sporting Director Richard Hughes and Rami Abbas, Salah’s representative, over the coming days and weeks to try and, you know, to thrash out what the future is going to look like once Mo returns from AFCON because despite the kind of truce being called, with him being back in the squad and performing well for Liverpool on Saturday, it doesn’t change the fact that there’s an issue there.

“That Salah can’t handle and doesn’t want to deal with being a substitute because he thinks he should be starting games, and Slot doesn’t currently regard Salah as part of his best team.”

© Anfield Watch

Liverpool could still end up selling Salah

Slot dropped Salah from the starting lineup for the games against West Ham, Sunderland and Leeds - before leaving him out altogether against Inter.

Then came the Brighton game - with Salah again on the bench. Liverpool have also moved to a midfield diamond - requiring more central midfielders and fewer wingers to start.

It means Salah could be set for more frustration when he returns from Afcon - suggesting his future could be very much up in the air.

Under contract until 2027 there remains the possibility that Liverpool could offload their all-time great either in January or else next summer when interest from Saudi Arabia will no doubt once again be strong.