Liverpool’s Premier League title ambitions were dashed in January when Mohamed Salah suffered a ruptured hamstring during the Africa Cup of Nations.
Prior to that, the striker had been one of Jurgen Klopp’s most injury-free players, missing only one match in his seven years at Anfield.
Salah’s appearance has changed significantly since that terrible day.
The 31-year-old subsequently had a re-injury during his comeback against Brentford in February.
Salah has been chastised by both fans and the media in the run-up to the season’s end, as Liverpool fell out of contention for the Premier League, Europa League, and FA Cup.
Jurgen Klopp and Salah even had a high-profile spat on the touchline against West Ham in April, sparking suspicion of a rift between the manager and his underperforming striker.
Meanwhile, there is still a lot of transfer speculation surrounding Salah. He is about to enter the final year of his £350,000 per week contract, with no sign of progress on a new contract thus far.
With Al-Ittihad reportedly keen, this could be Liverpool’s last chance to cash in.
However, most Reds would want Salah to return healthier and stronger next season, regaining the form that has allowed him to score 211 goals for the club and become top scorer in every Liverpool campaign.
Salah is a man in need of a decent rest and recharging his batteries for the upcoming campaign under new coach Arne Slot.
However, those preparations have been thrown into disarray by Egypt’s decision to call up their talisman for the World Cup qualifiers against Burkina Faso and Guinea Bissau next month.
Is Salah going to the Olympics?
The Pharaohs will face Burkina Faso at home on June 6 before a long travel to Guinea Bissau on June 10, with Salah likely to play a major role.
Furthermore, the national Olympic team management is still planning to call up Salah for the Paris games this summer.
“We are still awaiting the outcome of communication with Salah and his club Liverpool through the Egyptian Football Association,” Egypt Olympic Coach Rogerio Micale told Winwin.com last week.
“We absolutely want him with us. I wish Salah could play with us in the Olympics.”
Liverpool’s Pre-Season Plans
If Egypt makes it to the final, Salah will be in play until one week before the start of the Premier League season.
It has been stated that Slot aims to bring Liverpool’s players back in for pre-season within the first week of July, resulting in limited rest for the club’s key players, notwithstanding international obligations.
There will be players competing in both the European Championship and the Copa America, with those performing anticipated to return later in preseason.
Liverpool’s first pre-season encounter is planned for July 27 against Rea Betis in Pittsburgh, marking the Reds’ first trip to the United States since 2019.
Additional matches are scheduled against Arsenal in Philadelphia on August 1 and Manchester United in South Carolina on August 4.
Liverpool sorely need their star player to be back on peak form.
Egypt’s ambitions for Salah this summer threaten to disrupt Liverpool’s preseason.
