Liverpool pre-season plans could be thrown into disarray with Salah decision

Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes suffered a fatal blow in January when Mohamed Salah suffered a torn hamstring at the Africa Cup of Nations. 

The striker had been one of the most reliable players under Jurgen Klopp from an injury perspective before that, barely missing a match throughout his seven years at Anfield. 

However, since that fateful day, Salah hasn’t looked the same. 

The 31-year-old subsequently suffered a re-injury on his comeback, which he made against Brentford in February. 

Salah has been criticised by fans and media alike throughout the run in, with Liverpool slipping out of contention for the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup in the season’s closing months. 

Jurgen Klopp and Salah even had a high-profile row on the touchline against West Ham in April, leading to speculation of a fallout between the manager and his off-form forward. 

There remains considerable transfer noise around Salah, meanwhile. He is just about to enter the last 12 months of his £350,000 per week contract with no sign of a breakthrough on a new deal thus far. 

With Al-Ittihad known to be interested, this could represent Liverpool’s last chance to cash in. 

However, most Reds would likely settle for Salah to come back fitter and stronger next season and regain the kind of form that has led him to score 211 goals for the club and to become top scorer in each and every Liverpool campaign. 

Salah is a man in need of a good rest and to recharge his batteries for the campaign ahead under new coach Arne Slot. 

However, those plans have been thrown into chaos with Egypt’s decision to call their talisman up for the World Cup qualifiers against Burkina Faso and Guinea Bissau next month. 

Salah going to the Olympics?

The Pharaohs face Burkina Faso at home on June 6 before a gruelling trip to Guinea Bissau on June 10 with Salah expected to play a full part. 

Furthermore, there are STILL plans on the part of the nation’s Olympic team manager to call up Salah for the Paris games this summer. 

 "We are still awaiting the outcome of communication with Salah and his club Liverpool through the Egyptian Football Association,” Egypt Olympic coach Rogerio Micale told Winwin.com last week. 

“We definitely want him with us. I wish Salah could play with us at the Olympics.”

Liverpool's pre-season plans

Should Egypt reach the final then Salah would be in action until one week before the start of the Premier League season. 

It’s been reported that Slot intends to bring Liverpool’s players back in for pre-season during the first week of July, meaning curtailed rest for the club’s top stars, international commitment notwithstanding. 

There will be players involved in the European Championship as well as the Copa America, with those performers expected to return later in pre-season. 

Liverpool’s first pre-season game has been scheduled for July 27 against Rea Betis in Pittsburgh as the Reds travel stateside for the first time since 2019. 

Further matches are planned against Arsenal in Philadelphia on August 1 and Manchester United in South Carolina on August 4. 

Liverpool desperately need their top man back firing on all cylinders. 

Egypt’s plans for Salah this summer threaten to throw Liverpool’s pre-season into disarray.