Salah Questions Liverpool Future After Public Rift with Manager Slot
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah cast doubt on his future at the club after saying he had been “thrown under the bus” following a third successive omission from the starting line-up, increasing scrutiny on manager Arne Slot during a period of poor form.
Salah, 33, was again named on the bench for Saturday’s 3-3 Premier League draw at Leeds. Speaking afterwards, he suggested his relationship with Slot had deteriorated sharply in recent weeks.
“I’m sitting on the bench, and I don’t know why,” Salah told reporters. “It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. Someone wanted me to get all the blame.”
Liverpool, eighth in the league and with two wins in their last 10 matches, has struggled for consistency since a 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest last month. Slot has since prioritised integrating summer signings Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak, who arrived for a combined fee of around £300 million.
Salah, who has scored five goals in 19 appearances this season, was also dropped for Champions League fixtures against Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt. The Egyptian has scored 250 goals since joining Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017 and played a central role in two Premier League titles and the club’s 2019 Champions League victory.
Salah said his bond with Slot had broken down. “I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship,” he added. “Someone doesn’t want me in the club.”
Liverpool were already preparing for Salah’s imminent departure to the Africa Cup of Nations following this week’s Champions League match at Inter Milan and the home fixture against Brighton. He hinted the Brighton match could be his final appearance at Anfield and said he had arranged for his family to attend.
A move to the Saudi Pro League remains a possibility. Saudi clubs, backed by the country’s sovereign wealth fund, are among the few capable of matching or improving Salah’s current salary and could provide Liverpool with a significant transfer fee after their heavy summer investment.
Slot, who led Liverpool to the title last season, has seen pressure increase as results have dipped. Although his position is not immediately at risk, the club may face further decisions if its push for Champions League qualification continues to falter.
Liverpool are two points off the top four ahead of their trip to Milan on Tuesday.