Mohamed Salah's Future at Liverpool in Question Amid Dropped Line-ups
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has stated that Mohamed Salah is "always in my mind" despite the forward being excluded from the starting line-up in the last two matches.
The 33-year-old Egyptian has struggled to find the net, scoring only four times during Liverpool's disappointing start to the Premier League season. He has played just 45 minutes in the past two games.
According to sources, the Saudi Pro League continues to express interest in signing Salah, who signed a new two-year contract with Liverpool in April.
Salah had an impressive season last year, scoring 29 goals as Liverpool clinched the title under Slot's management. However, he was an unused substitute in Liverpool's recent victory against West Ham and started from the bench again in the 1-1 draw against Sunderland.
It remains uncertain if Salah will return to the starting line-up for Saturday's match against Leeds United.
When asked about the discussions surrounding Salah's absence from the starting eleven, Slot acknowledged, "The chatter, yes, because he deserves that. He has been so influential for me over six or seven years. It’s completely normal for people to talk about it when he isn’t playing."
Before signing his new deal with Liverpool, Salah was heavily linked with a move to Al-Ittihad. Since joining the Reds in 2017, he has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances across all competitions.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk commented this week that Slot's decision to drop Salah illustrates that no player has "unlimited credit" at the club. "He is still a fantastic player, and we must remember the reasons for his success here. We have to respect that," Van Dijk said following the draw with Sunderland. "I need him around as one of the leaders. I’m not worried. He’s disappointed, which is absolutely normal; if you’re not disappointed after not playing two games in a row, then there’s an issue. It’s always been the case that no one is undroppable. Everyone has to perform."
As the weekend approaches, Liverpool sits ninth in the league table, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal, having secured only two wins in their last nine league matches.