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Liverpool have been forced to consider the future of Mo Salah at the club, after it has emerged that he could miss up to four months of next season due to international commitments.
The Egyptian forward is already likely to miss much of January and February after the African Cup of Nations was pushed back from the summer months, a decision that caused Jurgen Klopp to warn that it will put clubs off signing African players. Liverpool are likely to lose Sadio Mané, Naby Keita and Joel Matip for the duration, as well as Salah.
However, now comes news that Egypt may call up Salah to represent them in a rescheduled Olympics, which could take place next May or June. Although countries taking part in the Olympics typically field teams of under 23 year olds, they are allowed to have a fixed quota of older players, and Salah is regarded as his country’s best player.
That may, in turn, cause Liverpool to reconsider his future, and the wisdom of having a player who cannot play for them for large chunks of next season.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.