Arne Slot 'happy' about Mohamed Salah situation as Liverpool holds talks

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has revealed when Mohamed Salah is expected to return to Merseyside following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations this weekend

Mohamed Salah will return to Liverpool next week(Image: Getty Images)

Arne Slot said that he is happy to have Mohamed Salah returning to Liverpool next week, following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations this weekend.

Salah has missed Liverpool's last six games and will also miss Saturday's meeting with Burnley, owing to his participation in Egypt's third-place playoff against Nigeria. Liverpool has won three and drawn three of the games that Salah has missed, but despite that solid run of form, Slot is pleased that he will soon have Salah at his disposal once again.

"I'm happy that he comes back because Mo has been so important for this club," Slot said.

"Even if I had 15 attackers, I still would have been happy if he came back, but that's not our current situation.

"I'm happy to have him back after an important game he has to play for Egypt."

Slot confirmed that Salah is due back on Merseyside next week, and that the player could figure in Liverpool's Champions League game away to Marseille next Wednesday.

"He's due back next week," Slot said. "We're in talks with him over what we expect over here.

"That (whether he will be available against Marseille) is something we're talking with him about."

Salah's wait for AFCON glory goes on(Image: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto)

Slot was asked whether he had spoken with Salah since Egypt's loss to Senegal earlier this week and responded: "What happened between Mo and me stays between the two of us. I don't think it is necessary to share private messages."

Egypt is the most successful nation in AFCON history, but its last title came in 2010 – the year before Salah made his senior international debut.

Salah must now wait until 2027 for another chance to get his hands on the trophy, and one suspects he won't have too many more bites at the cherry given his age.

Salah could barely have done more for Egypt at this tournament, scoring or assisting five of Egypt's nine goals en route to the semifinal.

The 33-year-old still has a chance to end the competition as the tournament's top scorer, too. He currently has four goals, level with Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen and one behind Morocco's Brahim Diaz.

Osimhen and Diaz are still in the tournament, so they could still add to their tallies over the weekend.