Mohamed Salah’s Africa Cup of Nations journey is almost over, and Liverpool fans finally have a clear answer on when their star man will return. After weeks of waiting, uncertainty, and emotional moments in Africa, Arne Slot has confirmed that Salah will be back in England next week.
Salah has been away with Egypt since mid-December, missing game after game for Liverpool. This weekend, he will miss his seventh match in total when the Reds face Burnley in the Premier League. However, his long absence is now close to ending.
The Egyptian forward will play one final match at the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday. Egypt will face Nigeria in the third-place play-off, a game that still carries pride and pressure after a painful semi-final defeat.
On Wednesday night, Egypt were knocked out of the competition after losing 1-0 to Senegal. It was another difficult moment for Salah, made even harder by the fact that the winning goal came from a Senegal side led by his former Liverpool team-mate, Sadio Mane.
At 33 years old, Salah will not play in Sunday’s AFCON final in Morocco. Instead, he will finish his tournament with one more match before flying back to Merseyside and rejoining his club.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed the situation during his pre-match press conference. He revealed that he has been in contact with Salah and made it clear that the forward could already be involved in Liverpool’s upcoming Champions League fixture.
“First of all, he plays a big game for Egypt on Saturday and then he comes back, I am happy he comes back,” Slot said.
The Liverpool boss did not hide how important Salah is to him and to the club. His words showed relief, respect, and genuine excitement at the thought of welcoming the winger back.
“Mo has been so important for this club and me, so I am happy he is back and even if I had 15 attackers, I would be happy to see Mo back but that is not our situation. Happy to have him back after an important game tomorrow.”
When asked to explain exactly when Salah would be available, Slot was honest and direct. Talks are ongoing, and nothing is being rushed.
“Next week, we’re in talks with him. First of all, he needs to have an important game on Saturday. Champions League? We are talking together about it now.”
Salah’s return comes after a very intense period, not only on the pitch but also off it. Before leaving for AFCON, the Egyptian star was at the centre of attention following a turbulent spell at Anfield.
He openly criticised Arne Slot earlier in the season, accusing the manager of throwing him under the bus after being left out of the starting line-up. It was a rare public moment of tension between the two.
However, the situation did not last long. Both Salah and Slot held clear-the-air talks, and the response on the pitch was immediate. Salah assisted a goal in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Brighton on December 13, just days before departing for AFCON.
Since his departure, Liverpool have shown resilience and stability. The team are now unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions, a strong response to their last defeat.
That loss came on November 26, when Liverpool were beaten 4-1 by PSV Eindhoven. Since then, results have improved, confidence has grown, and defensive performances have become more solid.
Going into the weekend’s Premier League fixtures, Liverpool sit fourth in the table. While the position is positive, Arne Slot believes there is still much more to come from his side.
“The last 11 games, we have hardly conceded chances, but in the period before that we created lots but conceded more chances,” Slot explained.
He acknowledged that some fans may miss the more open and attacking games, even if those matches did not always bring the right results.
“And they were more open games where maybe people look back and want those now but the results weren’t as we wanted them to be.”
Slot believes the balance is coming, and that his players are learning, growing, and physically improving as the season goes on.
“We have to find that balance and we will, the players are growing, they find belief and getting fitter. We are waiting for a moment when we can kickstart our season even more than we have.”
Mohamed Salah’s return could be that moment. His presence, leadership, and goals have defined Liverpool for years, and his comeback arrives at a crucial time in the season.
With the Champions League ahead and domestic pressure increasing, Liverpool’s talisman is almost home. For Arne Slot and his squad, the wait is nearly over.
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