As Liverpool suffered 9 defeats in their last 15 games across all competitions, the public outburst from their star player Mohamed Salah has undoubtedly added fuel to the fire. After Saturday night’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road, the Egyptian forward—who has been on the bench for three consecutive games—unexpectedly erupted in the mixed zone, accusing the club of "using him as a scapegoat."
"Someone is trying to shift all the blame onto me," Salah said bluntly. "The club promised a lot this summer, but now I’m sitting on the bench, and it’s fair to say they haven’t kept their word. I used to have a good relationship with Slot, but now we have no contact, and I don’t know why. It seems someone doesn’t want me at the club." This was a rare emotional outburst from the superstar, who has only given four written interviews in eight and a half years on Merseyside. Such a candid statement suggests he feels his Liverpool career is hanging by a thread.
The Trigger for the Outburst
Just a few months ago, Salah was lifting the PFA Players’ Player of the Year trophy after scoring 29 goals to help Liverpool win the title last season. The historic striker, who has scored 250 goals for the club since joining from Roma, clearly believes manager Arne Slot and the club’s hierarchy have failed to show him the respect he deserves. After being left out of the starting lineup against West Ham United, Sunderland, and Leeds United in succession, Salah admitted: "This is unacceptable for me. At other clubs, the team should protect the player. Now it’s become ‘make Salah the scapegoat because he’s the problem with the team.’ I don’t think I’m the problem—I shouldn’t have to fight for my place every day because I’ve earned it. I’ve never put myself above the club, but this is something I deserve." Although the 31-year-old Egyptian’s form has indeed declined this season (4 goals in 15 Premier League games compared to 13 in the same period last year), he clearly feels he is being unfairly blamed for the team’s slump.
The Game Behind the Contract Extension
Last season, Salah was part of a core trio—along with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold—whose contracts were set to expire. Amid prolonged contract talks that attracted media attention, Liverpool Sporting Director Richard Hughes held months of negotiations with Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas. Sources told ESPN that both sides had always been willing to continue their cooperation, and the player’s family was settled in the northwest of England. Despite the player being 32, the club still promised to maintain his status as the highest-paid player in the club’s history (a weekly wage of around £400,000 plus bonuses), reflecting the hierarchy’s high recognition of his value. However, another view is that after academy icon Alexander-Arnold moved to Real Madrid this summer, Liverpool could not afford the public relations fallout of letting Salah leave on a free transfer.
A Choice at the Crossroads
Even a few weeks ago, it was unimaginable that Liverpool would let Salah leave in the January transfer window. But if the player-manager rift cannot be resolved, the club may be forced to listen to offers—Salah hinted on Saturday that next week’s game against Brighton could be his last for the Reds. Although he has played 1,119 minutes in the Premier League this season (83% of available minutes), he is clearly unwilling to play a supporting role. Even if Slot’s position remains precarious, the club is unlikely to side with a player who could hold a future manager hostage. Sources added that the club is aware fans may be dissatisfied with his "un-Liverpool-like" comments, but also recognizes that public criticism is not a good strategy and has decided to handle the situation in a calm and balanced manner. However, overall, Salah’s words and actions have made it extremely difficult for Slot to select him at this stage.
Possible Destinations and Replacements
The Saudi Pro League is the most obvious option, with Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal listed as potential suitors by multiple media outlets. While Saudi Arabia can offer a matching salary, Salah—eager to prove himself—is not necessarily willing to bid farewell to European football early. Sources told ESPN that his agent has contacted several Serie A clubs—given his age and salary expectations, this is the only major European league that could potentially accommodate him. Another source said Paris Saint-Germain, which has been linked with him in the past, has no intention of getting involved unless it is a free transfer.
For Liverpool, finding a direct replacement is almost impossible, but they could try to sign a winger with both scoring and assisting abilities to supply ammunition to Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, who joined this summer. Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo (reportedly with a £60 million release clause in January) is one potential target, as Sporting Director Hughes was at Bournemouth when he moved from Bristol City in 2023. The 25-year-old Ghanaian international will not miss games as his national team failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, making him an attractive option. In addition, Liverpool was linked with Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and Paris Saint-Germain’s Warren Zaïre-Emery this summer, but the club downplayed the interest.
Slot’s Managerial Crisis
Against the backdrop of winning just 4 of their last 15 games in all competitions, Slot’s future was already in doubt. But sources said he still has the full support of the hierarchy and is widely liked for his respectful demeanor. Insiders believe last month’s Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven was a "tipping point"—while it did not directly decide the manager’s fate, it exposed deep-seated issues that had not been revealed in the previous slump. Salah claimed to have "no relationship" with Slot, but he still appeared at the training ground for light training on Sunday afternoon and met with Slot, Hughes, and other senior officials. He participated in public training on Monday but will not travel with the team for Tuesday’s Champions League away game against Inter Milan—the club has temporarily dropped him from the squad.
Although Liverpool has historically tended to support the manager rather than the player, with some fans already calling for Slot’s dismissal, how the Dutchman handles this crisis will directly affect his image among supporters.
