Liverpool manager, Arne Slot has confirmed that Mohamed Salah will leave for the Africa Cup of Nations on or before 15 December.
This means that Salah will still be available for the Premier League meeting with Brighton on Saturday, 13 December.
With Egypt set to call on their captain for the tournament, Slot acknowledged that Liverpool must now brace for several weeks without the forward who has carried so much of their attacking burden in recent years.
“It [the deadline] is the 15th of December. As always there is the nation involved, the player involved and the club. There are always talks about what is the best for all three of us,” Slot said. “We have to find a way to play without him as he’ll not be here. That’s true.”
Salah is expected to feature in Liverpool’s domestic matches in the coming days, including Wednesday’s fixture against Sunderland. His benching for the weekend clash with West Ham raised eyebrows, but Slot said the Egyptian’s response was exactly what he expected from a player of his stature.
“It was a normal reaction for a player who is good enough to play for us, and I say that mildly as he’s been so outstanding for this club and will be in the future,” Slot said. “He wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting but he wasn’t the only one.”
The Liverpool manager added that Salah handled the situation with maturity. “But the way he behaved was as you’d expect from such a professional: he supported his teammates and handled himself really well,” he said.
Slot praised Salah’s consistent work ethic, insisting that his standards never drop. “You can’t be a player that has to play every three days to a high standard but he’s so disciplined and knows what to do to stay fit. Whether he plays well, doesn’t play well, plays or doesn’t play, he’ll always be that top professional.”
