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Mohamed Salah’s time as a Liverpool player could well be coming to an end, although Virgil van Dijk has insisted that the club still needs him.
Salah has put his future at Anfield under considerable doubt after launching an extraordinary tirade against Liverpool and head coach Arne Slot following Saturday’s draw at Leeds, in which he was named on the bench for a third game running.
Speaking to reports at Elland Road, the 33-year-old hit out at the club, claiming that he had been “thrown under the bus” for the recent slump in form, while also revealing his relationship with Slot has broken down.
Salah would also go on to insinuate that next weekend’s clash at home to Brighton could be his last for Liverpool. He is due to travel to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt thereafter, but a January transfer could well be on the cards after he effectively gave the Reds’ hierarchy an ultimatum over his and Slot’s future.
Salah has gained plenty of support from fans following his explosive comments, and he did receive backing from Van Dijk in the build-up to Saturday’s game, before his outburst.
“We need him and he will still be important like he has been,” Van Dijk said of Salah during the week.
"He is still a fantastic player. We still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that. I need him around as one of the leaders. I'm not worried.
"He's disappointed but that's absolutely normal as if you're not disappointed when you're not playing two games in a row then there is an issue as well. But it's onto the next now."
Van Dijk went on to add: "We all want the best for the club. I am pretty sure Mo will still be a big part of what we are trying to achieve because he is an amazing player and he has shown it consistently."
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Whether Salah will get that opportunity to play any further part for Liverpool remains to be seen. The Reds face Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday before hosting Brighton on Saturday, which could end up being his farewell appearance.
"I don't know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club,” Salah said.
"This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much; I will always do. I called my mum yesterday - you guys didn't know if I would start or not, but I knew.
"Yesterday I said to them, come to the Brighton game. I don't know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it. In my head, I'm going to enjoy that game because I don't know what is going to happen now.
"I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa cup. I don't know what is going to happen when I am there."
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