Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future appears all but settled following unexpected comments from Arne Slot.
Arne Slot appeared far more at ease on Friday as he faced the media following Liverpool’s back-to-back victories.
The Dutchman had been under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, with pressure escalating after Mohamed Salah accused both Slot and the club of “throwing him under the bus.” Despite the explosive nature of the comments, the general feeling is that Slot handled both Salah’s remarks and the fallout with real composure.
By reintegrating Salah for last weekend’s win over Brighton, Slot paved the way for the Egyptian’s full return at a time when his future at Anfield looked uncertain. While Salah has since departed for the Africa Cup of Nations, the Liverpool boss was inevitably asked about the situation again during Friday’s press conference ahead of Tottenham — and his response made it clear where things now stand.
Had Slot continued to sideline Salah, the narrative would have dominated the headlines throughout the winger’s time away. Instead, Salah’s positive cameo against Brighton helped ease the tension, allowing Slot to firmly insist that the issue has been put to bed.
“I said last week that actions speak louder than words. We’ve moved on,” Slot explained. “He was in the squad and he was my first substitution. Now he’s at AFCON, playing important games for himself and his country. It’s fair for everyone — especially with big games coming up for us — that the focus stays there and not on his Liverpool situation. We’ve moved on after the Leeds interview and he played against Brighton.”
With that, Slot effectively shut down the discussion. Salah may yet speak while on international duty, but for now the episode appears to have blown over. A January exit now seems increasingly unlikely.
While everything may not be fully resolved behind closed doors and Salah may still want clarity over his role, Slot’s handling of the matter cannot be faulted. He has followed the correct process at every step in the interests of the team.
If Liverpool’s No. 11 ultimately decides he wants out, responsibility would lie with the player. Slot has done all he reasonably could.
Given the weight of Salah’s comments, it was far from guaranteed that Slot would emerge unscathed. Yet by swiftly calming the situation, extending an olive branch without backing down publicly, he has strengthened his position and likely increased his security in the role. His firm stance came as a surprise, but it now feels highly probable that both Slot and Salah will still be at Liverpool when the season draws to a close.