Mohamed Salah's future at Liverpool remains uncertain. While the Egyptian star competes at the Africa Cup of Nations, a second, crucial round of negotiations is underway behind the scenes at Anfield. Harsh words, dissatisfaction with his role in the squad, and comparisons between Arne Slot and Jürgen Klopp are all at play. The verdict could arrive before the end of the season.
An emotional farewell and the Saudi shadow
Mohamed Salah departed for AFCON in Morocco with his future very much up in the air. His emotional farewell to fans at Anfield following his final match before leaving was interpreted by many as a possible early goodbye.
Tensions surrounding the Egyptian forward have also escalated sharply in recent weeks. Salah openly criticised manager Arne Slot after being benched for three consecutive matches, and according to insiders, he felt “thrown under the bus” by the club. Speculation over a January exit has also intensified due to renewed interest from Saudi Arabia.
Although Liverpool have made it clear they do not intend to sell their third-highest scorer in the club's history during the winter window, there are growing indications that a permanent departure could come at the end of the season.
Heskey: This wouldn't have happened under Klopp
Former Reds striker Emile Heskey is convinced this situation would never have arisen if Jürgen Klopp were still at the helm.
“Jürgen was a communicator first and foremost. He knew how to keep the players focused and explain the ups and downs,” Heskey told the Liverpool Echo.
“It's all about communication. Salah is no kid. He's not Rio Ngumoha or Trey Nyoni. I think he deserves an explanation.”
Heskey defended Slot's right to rotate his lineup but also highlighted the Egyptian star's unique standing at the club.
“The manager has the right to decide whether Mo Salah plays or sits. It's his job on the line,” he added.
“But at the same time, Salah needs more explanation – because of what he means to the club and everything he has already achieved.”
Decisive meetings without Salah
According to the Daily Mail's chief Liverpool correspondent Lewis Steele, further crucial talks will take place in the coming days between sporting director Richard Hughes and Salah's agent Ramy Abbas Issa.
The agent made clear last week that his client will not accept being a regular bench fixture after returning from AFCON. If Liverpool cannot offer clear guarantees over playing time, the agent may pressure the club to accept a transfer offer – with Saudi Arabia remaining a very real option.
Paradoxically, Salah's short and medium-term future will be decided without his personal involvement. In Morocco, he is fully focused on the tournament, while his fate is being determined at Anfield.
FSG's stance remains unchanged for now: Salah will stay in January. However, the upcoming negotiations will be crucial in determining whether that position could shift after the season ends – and what role Slot's plans for the player will play in this.
Slot as a coach, not a manager?
Heskey also took some responsibility off Slot, suggesting that the role of manager at modern Liverpool is significantly different from that of Klopp.
“He's a leader, he has to be,” Heskey said.
“But there are two levels. He is mainly the head coach. These things used to fall under the manager. Jürgen was the manager. Arne is more of a coach.”
And he added an important observation:
“Being a manager is one of the hardest jobs. Constantly putting out fires – is the player okay, is the family okay. Jürgen was fantastic at that. Maybe Arne needs to understand more about how important this part of the role is.”
Liverpool now face another pivotal moment in the post-Klopp era. And Mohamed Salah? He could become a symbol of just how painful the Reds' transformation truly is.
This article was originally published on FotbalPortal.
