Mohamed Salah is not likely to reverse his decision to leave Liverpool following Arne Slot's departure, according to his former team-mate Dejan Lovren. The Egyptian announced his emotional departure from Anfield earlier this season, leaving fans devastated at losing their iconic forward.
Salah opted to leave on a free transfer despite penning a fresh two-year contract with the Reds in 2025. The widely-publicised breakdown of his relationship with Slot has been blamed as the main reason behind his exit. But now that the Dutchman has also departed Liverpool, reports suggest Salah could change his mind and return to play under new head coach Andoni Iraola.
However, former Reds centre-back Lovren does not believe Slot's exit will prompt Salah to reconsider his position. Speaking to WinWin, the Croatian said: "No, it's over. Mo has a big personality too. I don't know, if they hadn't announced all of that, all the details of leaving, saying thank you and goodbye and saying goodbye, maybe yes, but now it's difficult."
Despite maintaining that Salah remains firmly on his way out, Lovren believes the forward could have ultimately stayed had he known Slot would be on his way: "Yes, he would have stayed 100 per cent. Believe me, he would have stayed 100 per cent, I know that. But the timing was bad." Lovren added.
"Only a fool would say we no longer need him. Only a fool would say that. I mean, to say you don't need Mohamed Salah at Liverpool, when he can still perform at the highest level for another two or three years, then we have a problem understanding football."
Salah is yet to reveal where he will ply his trade following his departure from Liverpool. However, the Egypt international broke his silence as far back as December regarding his strained relationship with Slot.
"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," Salah said at the time. "I don't know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club.
"I can't believe ... I'm sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career. I'm very, very disappointed. 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.
"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."