Mohamed Salah: The Worrying ‘Deeper Issue’ Liverpool Must Address in Unsavoury Saga

Mohamed Salah hasn’t started a Liverpool game in almost a month and is now away on international duty.

Mohamed Salah threatened to destroy his Liverpool legacy. / Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Liverpool may have a “deeper issue” to deal with when it comes to Mohamed Salah, that goes beyond the Anfield legend simply being unhappy at getting benched by Arne Slot in recent weeks.

Salah accused the club of throwing him under the bus and claimed he no longer has a relationship with Slot over the way things have been handled. The Egyptian superstar went as far as claiming he shouldn’t have to fight for his starting place because he’s already earned it with past contributions.

After three games on the bench and then going public with his feelings, Salah was left at home when the Reds travelled to Italy in the Champions League. He returned to the bench for last weekend’s Premier League win over Brighton & Hove Albion, coming on and getting an assist, but has now departed for the Africa Cup of Nations without anything really being resolved.

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It has been suggested by reporters familiar with the situation behind the scenes in a Daily Mail Q&A that Salah’s angst comes from more than just his own status taking a hit.

The claim is that, privately, Salah was not “overly convinced” by the business Liverpool did in the transfer market over the summer and the idea that Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, both record-breaking deals for a combined £241 million ($323.2 million), are the players to assume the mantle of leading the club’s attack.

Salah is yet to click with Florian Wirtz on the pitch. / Liverpool FC/Getty Images

It isn’t specifically detailed in the aforementioned report, but Salah was known to be close with Darwin Núñez and Luís Diaz—he was upset when a Liverpool fan account on social media “disrespected” the departed pair following the summer transfer window.

There have been no shortage of claims in recent months that he is particularly dismissive towards Wirtz. One notable example repeatedly rolled out has been Salah’s disinclination to pass the German the ball for an easy goal during a Champions league win over Eintracht Frankfurt in October. Even now, Wirtz is still desperately searching for his first as he bears the weight of his price tag.

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Salah’s ‘Frustration’ Has Been Building

Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future is up in the air. / Carl Recine/Getty Images

It’s the prevailing theory that Salah stopping to talk to reporters after the Leeds game wasn’t simply done in the heat of the moment. While there might be an element of spontaneity, the suggestion is that everything was building to that point over the course of several weeks and months.

While Salah is away at the AFCON tournament, time and distance could have a healing effect. Alternatively, the wounds remain open and might only fester while not dealt with.

It has been reported that Liverpool have every intention of keeping Salah through the imminent January transfer window and beyond this season until the end of his contract in 2027.

If the 33-year-old doesn’t share the belief that he can continue playing for the club, he hasn’t yet made it known. But there are likely to be no shortage of suitors, certainly from Saudi Arabia or Major League Soccer, and the Reds are reportedly being as pragmatic as they can be in the circumstances, with the ball at this stage firmly in Salah’s court.

But Liverpool won’t be pressured into handing out guarantees on things like his starting place because it just doesn’t align with their values.

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