Following Mohamed Salah's explosive comments and subsequent talks with Arne Slot, here's why the Anfield legend doesn't use his real surname on the back of his shirt
Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah may have pulled on a Liverpool shirt for the final time
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There have been question marks over whether Mohamed Salah will don a Liverpool shirt again following his tirade against Arne Slot. Even if he does, the Egyptian won't be using his real surname.
The name on the back of his jersey reads 'M.Salah' even though his full name is actually Mohamed Salah Ghaly. The reason is rooted in Arab culture.
Mohamed is the name used by his family friends, while Salah is his father's first name. In Egypt, it is common to use the father's name as the 'middle' name to identify lineage. Ghaly is his family name that appears on all his legal documents.
It's possible that name will be inked on a contract with a new club following his extraordinary post-match interview at Leeds United, where he was left on the bench for the third straight game.
The tirade, in which he said he had no relationship with Slot and had been "thrown under the bus", led to him being left at home for the Reds' Champions League clash away to Inter Milan.
In the now infamous interview, Salah said he had wanted to say goodbye to Liverpool fans against Brighton on Saturday before joining up with the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Mohamed Salah in Liverpool training
The Saudi Pro League is a potential escape route for Salah
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Salah had looked unlikely to be involved against the Seagulls, with the Reds understandably reluctant to sanction a farewell in front of the Kop for fear it would rubberstamp his exit and therefore drive down his value.
However, following face-to-face talks with Slot, he is set to return to the squad after all.
Previously, Slot said he was open to mending fences, provided Salah was prepared to do the same. Speaking after the win against Inter, the head coach told Prime Video: "First you have to ask if the player feels he made a mistake. I'm going to talk to him. But then you have to ask, should the initiative come from me?"
However, in his press conference, Slot rowed back slightly on those comments, saying: "I didn’t say who should make the first step.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
Arne Slot insists the door is not closed on Salah
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"Tonight, it should be all about the players that are here. In the rich history Liverpool has had, they have had many of these evenings.”
Meanwhile, Dominik Szoboszlai says Salah has the right to make his own decisions about his future and insists his comments have not impacted personal relationships within the dressing room.
The Hungarian said: “I’m very close with him. It’s him and his own choice with what he is doing with his own life and his own career. It’s nothing to do with the players, I guess, so nothing to say about it.”
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