Liverpool Mohamed Salah successor joins Egypt squad after surprise call-up

A Liverpool youngster has received a call-up for Egypt - indicating that the Reds could already have a replacement of sorts for Mohamed Salah.

It's not just Mohamed Salah who is representing the Egypt national team from Liverpool right now.

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Academy player and dual-national Karim Ahmed has been called-up to Egypt’s U-20 squad for their upcoming AFCON qualifiers, which take place in November.

Ahmed, a striker, has been called up alongside several other eight other dual-nationality players, who Egypt are clearly keen to have represent them at senior level in the future.

This is a surprise call-up considering Ahmed is still only 17 years old and has been playing only at U18 level for Liverpool. But now he will be tested against players much older than him.

With the news that another Liverpool academy player, the recently joining Alvin Ayman, has also declared for Egypt it seems that there is a desire to build for the future with Egyptians of dual nationality.

READ MORE: 'Very special' Liverpool midfielder is about to RETURN to first team training

Who is Karim Ahmed?

The 17-year-old is an attacking player who can play anywhere across the front three. He has been playing for the club's U18 side from a young age making his debut at just 16 years of age.

This season he has two goals in five games in the U18 Premier League, and has played as a winger and as a number ten as well.

Salah sparks controversy

In the senior Egyptian team, Salah continued his strong goalscoring form as he netted the second goal in a 2-0 win over Mauritania on Friday night. He did however spark mild controversy in his homeland, with his new “archer” celebration believed to be a reference to one of Egypt’s biggest clubs, Zamalek.

Excused from playing the return fixture due to the artificial surface in Mauritania which could pose an injury risk, Salah is set to return to the club to train for the whole week preceding the Reds’ match against Chelsea, their first fixture after the international break and the start of a gruelling period of big matches. 

Similarly club captain Virgil van Dijk will also be joining Salah at the AXA Training Centre this week, having received a red card against Hungary and missing the Netherlands’ second game of the break against Germany. Despite expressing a desire to stay with the Dutch national team, van Dijk later suggested that a period of rest would be welcome.