In the 16th round of the Premier League, Liverpool defeated Brighton 2-0 at Anfield. Negotiations between Liverpool and Mohamed Salah's representatives are expected to continue while the forward is on international duty with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Salah held a positive conversation with manager Arne Slot on Friday, which ultimately saw the striker included in the squad for the match against Brighton.
After the game, when asked about the situation, Slot stated there was no longer a "problem." He told reporters: "For me, there are no issues to resolve. For me, he is like any other player now. If you are happy or unhappy with a player, you talk to them.
But after the Leeds United game, there was nothing more to say."
However, things seem not to be that simple. When asked if Salah had indicated he wanted to stay at the club, Slot declined to give a clear answer and chose to keep the details of Friday's conversation confidential. This is in stark contrast to his admission that he "doesn't know" if the 33-year-old has played his last game for the club.
The AFCON provides an opportunity for all relevant parties to further discuss the matter, including Salah and Slot himself, as well as sporting director Richard Hughes, Fenway Sports Group's football director Michael Edwards, and Salah's agent Ramy Abbas.
With Salah unavailable for selection, there will be no repeated questions about whether he is included in the squad, so the impact of the matter will be slightly reduced. However, it is likely to remain a topic when Salah faces the media during the tournament.
If Egypt progresses to the knockout stages as expected, their journey will coincide with the opening of the transfer window. Although Liverpool still insists that Salah will stay at the club, the opening of the transfer window will allow other interested clubs to make offers for him.
Salah himself is looking to focus on helping Egypt win their eighth AFCON title in history.
When Will He Return?
Egypt will play their final group stage match against Angola on December 29. If they are unexpectedly eliminated in the group stage, Salah will be able to return to Liverpool at the start of the new year. Given that three teams from each of the four groups are likely to advance, this scenario is highly unlikely.
This means he will miss the matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves, but his availability for the January 1 game against Leeds United depends on the team's return plan and whether communication between both parties indicates he is still in the club's considerations.
Based on Egypt's final group ranking, their round of 16 match will take place between January 3 and 5. This means Salah will miss the January 4 game against Leeds United and the away fixture against Fulham.
If Salah's team advances, the quarter-finals will be held on January 9 and 10. This means he will miss the away match against Arsenal, and the FA Cup tie against Barnsley on Monday, January 12, is likely too early, with the squad expected to undergo significant rotation.
The semi-finals will be held on January 14, and the final and third-place play-off will take place on the weekend of January 17 and 18. The home match against Burnley will be missed, and if Egypt wins the title, the celebrations are likely to see him absent from the Champions League match against Marseille on January 21.
The key to all this lies in the outcome of the ongoing talks between the club and Salah's representatives.
