Concern is mounting at Liverpool over the potential extended absence of star forward Mohamed Salah during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. The club is locked in discussions with the Egyptian Football Association, which could see the player miss more matches than initially anticipated.
Salah's Potential Extended Absence
The core of the issue revolves around a pre-tournament friendly. Egypt wants Salah to be available for their match against Nigeria on December 14. However, this directly clashes with Liverpool's Premier League fixture against Brighton on December 13.
The Reds are pushing for Salah to join the Egyptian squad after the Brighton game. If Egypt's request is granted, Salah would miss the Brighton match and could be absent for a significant period. Should Egypt reach the AFCON final on January 18, the 33-year-old could miss up to nine games for his club.
This period includes seven crucial Premier League matches, a Champions League tie away to Marseille, and an FA Cup third-round fixture. Egypt's technical director, Ibrahim Hassan, confirmed that talks with Liverpool are ongoing, stating the matter is also being discussed with Manchester City regarding their player Omar Marmoush.
Konate's Frustration with Transfer Speculation
In other Liverpool news, defender Ibrahima Konate has openly discussed how persistent transfer rumours are affecting his relationship with the club's supporters. The 26-year-old centre-back, who has entered the final year of his contract, has been consistently linked with a move to Real Madrid.
While on international duty with France, Konate expressed his frustration. "It's difficult, we can't say everything because a lot of things are already being said in the media," Konate told TF1. "Some of the things that I read, I'm like... oh la la. That puts me in a tight spot with Liverpool fans, and they don't even know all the ins and outs."
He previously indicated that his agents are in discussions with Liverpool and that he hopes a decision on his future will be made public soon. Konate has been a key part of the Liverpool squad since his 2021 arrival from RB Leipzig, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup.
Broader Context for Liverpool
These developments come at a challenging time for manager Arne Slot. The team is looking to bounce back from a recent defeat to Manchester City and has won only one of its last six league games. The potential loss of Salah, the club's top scorer, for a prolonged period during the busy winter schedule represents a major challenge to their ambitions of rediscovering the title-winning form they showed last season.
Salah, who has twice been a runner-up in the tournament, will be hoping to finally lift the AFCON trophy with Egypt. In a related note, he was rested for Egypt's recent friendly against Cape Verde.
