Liverpool could face a winter headache sooner than expected, as new reports suggest Mo Salah might leave early for the Africa Cup of Nations. According to WinWin Sports (via Anfield Index), Egypt are considering calling up their squad as early as 7 December to prepare for the tournament, which runs from 21 December to 18 January.
A pre-tournament friendly against Nigeria is scheduled for 14 December, raising the possibility that some players could depart their clubs even before then. This could see Salah missing key domestic fixtures well ahead of the busy festive period – a major concern for Arne Slot as he navigates a jam-packed December.
Our No.11 remains pivotal to Liverpool’s gameplan. The 33-year-old, who netted 29 league goals last season en route to the Premier League title, continues to be the creative heartbeat of the team. Even neutral pundits like Chris Sutton are tipping him for big moments, predicting a hat-trick against Aston Villa.
Reports indicate that Egypt’s manager Hossam Hassan wants his captain fully integrated well before the tournament starts. If Salah departs around 7 December, his final appearance for Liverpool could come in the trip to Brighton that weekend. Depending on Egypt’s progress, he could miss up to six matches across all competitions, including Premier League clashes with Tottenham, Wolves, Leeds, Fulham, and Arsenal – games in which his absence would be strongly felt.
Earlier projections had outlined Salah’s AFCON schedule, but this revised timeline significantly shortens the window. Slot, already stretched by injuries to key players, may need to lean on Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz. Both have shown flashes of brilliance, but replacing Salah’s consistency, influence, and leadership is a challenge few in world football could meet.
Egypt, currently the third-highest ranked team in Africa, will enter Morocco as one of the tournament favorites. For Liverpool, however, an early Salah exit isn’t just losing a player – it’s losing the driving force of our attack during one of the most critical stretches of the season.
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