Mohamed Salah faces an uncertain Liverpool return after his outburst at the club this month, and the Egyptian is missing someone who could have been a valuable ally
Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kostas Tsimikas of Liverpool during a training session
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is missing a key companion in Kostas Tsimikas following his Liverpool outburst
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Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah could be in for a chilly reception when he returns from the Africa Cup of Nations. And there's one familiar face missing from the Reds dressing room who might have helped smooth his reintegration into the squad.
That man is Kostas Tsimikas, who is currently spending the season on loan at Roma. The left-back was shipped off to Rome after Arne Slot brought in Milos Kerkez in the summer, a move that saw Salah say goodbye to his team-mate of five years.
Fast-forward to the present day, and Salah faces a tricky situation when he resumes club duties later this month. The 33-year-old vented his frustration at his bosses earlier in December after being sidelined for several matches during Liverpool's recent run of poor results.
The outburst inevitably sparked rumours that Salah's tenure at Anfield may be coming to an end, and he could even be offloaded in January. Saudi teams are once again being linked with a winter transfer as the player's bond with Liverpool appears to be under strain, though the club isn't thought to be actively pursuing a sale.
Salah's Egypt side were the first to secure a spot in the AFCON knockout stages after winning their first two group matches. That means he's guaranteed to be in Morocco until at least January 5, though he could be away for another two weeks beyond that if Egypt reach the final.
The stage is now set for a potentially awkward reunion at Anfield, particularly given the fiery nature of his comments after a dramatic 3-3 draw at Leeds. Tsimikas, who has struggled to find his feet at Roma during a turbulent few months in Italy, would have been a valuable confidant, especially as The Athletic revealed just how "tight" the duo were.
The Greece defender, who has lifted four major titles alongside Salah, previously lifted the lid on speculation surrounding his friend's potential departure last summer, when Saudi Arabian clubs were circling the Egyptian superstar. His insights suggested an incredibly close friendship, with Tsimikas appearing to have insider knowledge about Salah's line of thinking.
Speaking to Sport 24 in June, Tsimikas said: "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," and added: "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."
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Kostas Tsimikas
Salah may wish Tsimikas was still at Anfield
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He continued: "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."
Tsimikas also opened up about the depth of their friendship during his early days at Anfield. He even described the forward as one of his "best mates" at the club after 12 months on Merseyside.
Mohamed Salah of Egypt
Salah is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt
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"Mo is one of my best mates here. Always when I want something, he was always there for me to help me," he told journalists 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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