Mohamed Salah could do with all the allies he can muster in light of the Liverpool legend's outburst at Arne Slot and the club prior to leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations
Kostas Tsimikas, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool meeting patients during the annual Christmas visit to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital
Mohamed Salah lost a key Liverpool ally when Kostas Tsimikas left the club in the summer
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Liverpool star Mohamed Salah faces a potentially frosty reception when he returns from the Africa Cup of Nations. And there's one face missing from the Reds dressing room who might have helped ease his transition back into the team.
That man is, of course, Kostas Tsimikas, who is currently on loan at Roma. The left-back was sent to Rome after Arne Slot signed Milos Kerkez in the summer, a decision that saw Salah bid farewell to his team-mate of five years.
Fast-forward to today, and Salah faces a prickly situation when he returns to club duties later this month. The 33-year-old let rip at his bosses earlier in December after being benched for several games during Liverpool's recent sour stretch of results.
The outburst inevitably led to rumours that Salah's time at Anfield may be up, and he could even be sold in January. Saudi sides are once again being linked with a winter deal, as the player's Liverpool bond appears strained, although the club isn't believed to be actively seeking a sale.
Salah's Egypt outfit were the first team to secure a place in the AFCON knockout stages after winning their first two group games. That means he's assured to be in Morocco until at least January 5, though he could be away for another fortnight beyond that if Egypt make it to the final.
It sets the stage for an uncertain reunion at Anfield, given the explosive nature of his remarks following the 3-3 draw at Leeds. And Tsimikas, who is out of favour at Roma following a shaky first six months in Italy, would have been a welcome ally after The Athletic reported how "tight" the pair were.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Kostas Tsimikas
Tsimikas and Salah spent five years as Liverpool team-mates
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Tsimikas, who has won four major trophies with Salah, shed new light on the rumours linking his pal with the exit last summer when the Egyptian was highly sought after in Saudi Arabia. And it hinted at the close bond between the two that Tsimikas's comments suggested he had intimate knowledge regarding Salah's intentions.
"When he [Salah] said he felt he was more outside than inside the team, it was true, the chances of him staying were 10-20 per cent, it wasn't more," Tsimikas told Sport 24 in June. "If they didn't give him what he wanted, Mo wouldn't sit back, he would leave, but he wanted to stay, because he loves the team, he loves the people.
"He likes it here very much, his family has been here for so many years, it's a difficult step to leave. With the season he had, it was only a matter of time before they gave him what he wanted and he stayed."
Mohamed Salah of Egypt
Salah could be away at the Africa Cup of Nations until January 18
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Tsimikas also detailed the extent of his relationship with Salah early on in his Anfield tenure. And he even described the winger as one of his "best mates" at the club after just a year on Merseyside.
"Mo is one of my best mates here. Always when I want something, he was always there for me to help me," he told reporters in December 2021. "I don't want to speak about the player – he's fantastic.
"As a person, he is one of the best I have met in my life. He was there when I wanted him and needed him to tell me what the manager wants. He was always there to help me and we are very good friends, and we spend a lot of time here in the training ground together, and we have a lot of chats."
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