Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has admitted he has 'no clue' whether Mohamed Salah has played his last game for the club, after leaving the forward out of the Champions League squad to face Inter Milan. Slot said he was surprised by Salah's claim that their relationship had broken down, but insisted the club's decision to drop him demonstrated his authority.
Salah trained on Monday but was told he would not travel to Italy, and could also miss Saturday's Premier League match against Brighton. The 33-year-old is due to join up with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations next week, and Saudi Arabian interest in him is expected to resurface in January.
Slot said: 'I have no clue' when asked if Salah had played his final game for Liverpool. He added: 'I am a firm believer that there is always a possibility to return for a player. But that is not... I can leave it with that.'
The head coach denied that his calm demeanour indicated weakness, saying: 'Usually I'm calm, I'm polite. But that doesn't mean I'm weak. If a player has these comments about so many things then it's up to me and the club to react. We reacted in a way you can see – he's not here.'
Goalkeeper Alisson said he hoped Salah would play for Liverpool again, adding: 'We as his teammates and his friends, we hope the best thing happens for him, but as Liverpool players we want the best for the club as well.'
