Liverpool manager Arne Slot has declared that the club has "moved on" from the recent drama surrounding Mohamed Salah, following the forward's criticism of the club. Speaking ahead of Liverpool's Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur, Slot emphasized that actions speak louder than words.
The turbulent week saw Salah voice his frustrations, leading to speculation about a potential departure during the January transfer window. He was notably left out of the starting lineup for several games, further fueling the rumors. The situation escalated after Salah gave an explosive interview following a 3-3 draw with Leeds United, where he claimed he had been "thrown under the bus" and stated there was no longer a relationship between him and the head coach.
However, Slot appears to have addressed the issues with Salah, reintegrating him into the squad for the 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, where Salah came off the bench. "I said last week, actions speak louder than words," Slot told reporters. "We moved on, he was in the squad and was the first substitution I made".
Salah has since joined the Egyptian national team for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Slot acknowledged Salah's importance to his country and stated that all focus should be on his performance at the tournament. "Now he is at the AFCON, playing big games for himself and also for the country, so I think it is fair to them, but definitely also to us because we're going to play some very important games, that all the focus for him is over there for him and there should be no distractions from me saying anything about his time here at Liverpool," Slot explained.
While Slot is keen to put the matter behind him, questions about Salah's long-term future at Liverpool persist. Reports suggest that Salah's representatives are expected to hold further talks with the club during his absence to reach a final decision on his future. It has also been reported that Salah is unhappy with Liverpool's summer transfer business, which has led to tactical changes that he believes are detrimental to his game. Liverpool spent nearly £450 million to bring in new players, but Slot conceded that he had been overly optimistic about how quickly the new-look squad would perform.
Looking ahead to the Tottenham Hotspur match, Liverpool will be without Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez due to injuries. However, Dominik Szoboszlai, who suffered an ankle injury in the previous game, might be available. "Dominik trained yesterday for the first time. We'll see where he's at today," Slot said. Slot also mentioned that Gakpo's scan "looked promising" and he might return earlier than expected, but not for the Tottenham game.
