Image Credits: Imago Images
As the Premier League gears up for arguably the most chaotic stretch of the calendar, Liverpool find themselves staring down the barrel of a defining festive period. The Reds welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Anfield this weekend in a fixture that has taken on massive significance given the league table. Sitting in unfamiliar mid-table territory, Arne Slot’s men are desperate to find the consistency that has deserted them in recent weeks. Of course, Mohamed Salah’s stand-off with Arne Slot and the club has dominated pre-game discussion and will likely continue to do without official communication from the club.
In what is rapidly becoming the “Salah Saga” of the 2025/26 season, it is anticipated that the Egyptian will not be in the squad to face Brighton this weekend. The Egyptian King has been granted permission to leave the club early and will fly out to join the Egypt national team on Monday, December 15th, ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. While the tournament doesn’t officially kick off until December 21st, Salah’s likely absence for the Brighton game—Liverpool’s last fixture before his departure date—raises serious eyebrows.
There has been plenty of talk surrounding a potential move to Saudi Arabia and even whether Liverpool would terminate the 33-year-old’s contract. However, according to the BBC and Phil McNulty, a termination is not even an option: “Salah’s contract will not be cancelled. Liverpool would, if they sold, demand a sizeable fee for a global figure who signed a new two-year contract in May, but such is the Egyptian’s strength of feeling, reconciliation looks difficult. It remains to be seen whether Salah will even get the farewell he hinted at when Liverpool play Brighton on Saturday before he heads off to the Africa Cup of Nations.”
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