Transfer deadline day is here, and while the buzz around Mohamed Salah has calmed, the Liverpool star thrust his future into doubt with an explosive rant just months ago
Egypt's Mohamed Salah enters the stadium during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Egypt and South Africa
Mohamed Salah sent alarm bells ringing at Liverpool with a transfer admission last year(Image: AP)
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Mohamed Salah's future at Liverpool remains a flammable subject after his shockwave-sending admission late last year. The Egyptian forward has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations and is back among Arne Slot's squad.
The 33-year-old arrived at Anfield in 2017, having failed to cut it at Chelsea previously, and few would have guessed the career he'd embark upon as a Red. In nearly a decade on Merseyside, he has ascended to Liverpool's all-time Premier League goalscorer and holds the honour in European competitions as well.
He has won essentially all there is to win with the club, tasting glory in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup. Early in 2025, it seemed likely he would leave this legacy behind, with previous summer interest from the Saudi Pro League looming and his contract nearing its expiry. But Salah penned a new two-year deal with the Reds in April.
When a rough patch was hit during this current season late last year, Salah found himself on Slot's bench. His exit again entered the equation after a fiery post-match interview, and Salah's revelation means his Liverpool future is still up in the air.
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On the back of a 3-3 draw with Leeds United, Salah entered the mixed zone to speak directly to reporters, which was a rare occurrence. Despite signing a new deal only months prior, he made his true, bombshell thoughts known.
"I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I'm sitting on the bench and I don't know why," he said. "It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.
Mohamed Salah on the bench at Liverpool
Salah was benched last year by Slot(Image: Getty)
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"I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games so I can't say they keep the promise. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don't have any relationship. I don't know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club."
Salah was then asked if his bond with head coach Slot had broken down. He said: "Yeah, there's no relationship between us. It was a very good relationship and now all of a sudden there is no relationship." His strong stance hinted that he was seriously considering his future at Anfield.
The Liverpool boss replied to this bombshell later in the week, ahead of a Champions League trip to Inter Milan, for which Salah was dropped. He said: "It was a surprise to me when I heard he gave the comments he gave."
Not long after, Salah jetted off to AFCON with Egypt, where he helped them to another semi-final but could not get past eventual winners Senegal. They exited the competition 1-0 at this stage and lost the third-place playoff to Nigeria on penalties.
But before he departed, team-mate Curtis Jones revealed on the back of a game against Brighton, in which Salah came off the bench to grab an assist, the 33-year-old had already apologised to his peers for the explosive interview.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool and Arne Slot, head coach of Liverpool during a training session
Jones says Salah apologised to his team-mates for the rant(Image: Getty)
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Jones told Sky Sports: "Mo is his own man and he can say his own stuff. He apologised to us and was like, 'If I've affected anybody or made you feel any sort of way, I apologise'. That's the man that he is.
"I can only speak from me knowing Mo and how he is with us and how he acted on that. He was positive as well. He was the exact same Mo, he had a big smile on his face and everybody was exactly the same with him. I guess it's just part of wanting to be a winner and I don't think he will be the last."
The immediate suggestion after Salah's outburst was that he'd be seeking an exit in January and although this frosty interaction has mellowed, the Egyptian's future on deadline day is an ultimately uncertain one.