Mohamed Salah will depart Liverpool following the clash with Brighton on December 13, with Arne Slot explaining the club’s plan around the Africa Cup of Nations.
FIFA have ruled that clubs must release their players for AFCON by December 15 at the latest, allaying concerns of an early release for Salah.
That means the Egypt captain will play for Liverpool at home to Brighton on December 13 before flying out to join his national team in Morocco.
Speaking in his pre-Sunderland press conference on Tuesday, Slot said: “There are always talks about what is best for all three of us.
“I think the way we’ve worked at this club and I’ve worked in the past is always that there is a communication between all three: the player, the club and the country.
“So that’s nothing new. That’s always the same, also when they come back, when they go.
“But I think FIFA have said the 15th is the last date, I assume, a player has to be released.”
Mohamed Salah Egypt (Sebo47 / Alamy Stock Photo)
That may suggest a hope that Egypt will bear Liverpool in mind when it comes to their plans around the tournament, though Salah’s management will be out of the club’s hands.
Slot effectively trialled his system for throughout AFCON in Sunday’s 2-0 win over West Ham, with Salah spending the afternoon on the bench as Dominik Szoboszlai played on the right wing.
How Salah reacted to being dropped vs. West Ham
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 30, 2025: Liverpool's substitute Mohamed Salah sits on the bench before the FA Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Liverpool FC at the London Stadium. Liverpool won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It proved a success to the extent that there are genuine questions over whether Liverpool’s No. 11 should come back into the side against Sunderland on Wednesday night.
But there are no concerns from Slot over frustration from Salah himself.
“It’s a normal reaction from a player that’s good enough to play for us – and I say that mildly, because he’s been so outstanding for this club for so many years, and will be for us in the future,” he explained.
“So yeah, of course a player isn’t happy not playing.
“He wasn’t the only one who wasn’t happy that he wasn’t starting, I can tell you – and that’s normal.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, November 25, 2025: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (R) and Dominik Szoboszlai during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool FC and PSV Eindhoven. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“But the way he behaved was as you expect from the professional he is, he was very supportive of his teammates, handled himself very well during the day and yesterday in the session as well.
“So you cannot be a player that’s available every three days and play on that high a standard if you go with your emotions.
“But for Mo, he’s so disciplined, knows what he needs to do to stay fit and no matter if he plays well, doesn’t play well, if he plays or if he doesn’t play, he will always be that top professional.
“And that’s what he was in the last two days.”