Liverpool seek to maximise Mohamed Salah’s availability ahead of AFCON duty

Liverpool will make full use of FIFA’s regulations to keep Mohamed Salah at the club for as long as possible before he joins Egypt for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Despite a recent dip in form, the forward remains central to Liverpool’s ambitions, and the club is preparing for the stretch of fixtures they will have to navigate without him once the tournament begins.

Should Egypt progress to the latter stages of the competition, Salah could miss as many as seven matches for his club.

Those fixtures include league encounters with Tottenham, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Fulham, Arsenal and Burnley, as well as an FA Cup tie yet to be scheduled.

The potential absence underscores why Liverpool are eager to retain his services until the last permitted moment.

Under FIFA rules, African internationals may remain with their clubs until 15 December, a regulation Liverpool plan to apply fully.

As a result, Salah will be available for the Premier League match against Brighton on 13 December before travelling to join his national team for a friendly against Nigeria the following day.

Manager Arne Slot addressed the situation during a press briefing, confirming the club had received clarity on the timeline.

Yes, yes, we have been given a date. I believe it’s FIFA that’s handling it, I don’t know exactly. But it will be December 15th, he said.

Salah’s temporary departure will inevitably place a heavier load on the squad, both tactically and in terms of leadership, but Liverpool’s strategy aims to reduce the period they will be without him.

The club has become accustomed to navigating spells without their talisman during international tournaments, yet his influence—whether through goals, creativity or experience—remains difficult to replace.

The approach mirrors similar efforts elsewhere in the Premier League.

Manchester City, for example, are also seeking to postpone the release of Rayan Aït-Nouri to the Algerian national team under the same tournament provisions.

With the Africa Cup of Nations returning to a winter slot, several European clubs find themselves weighing player availability against international commitments.

For Liverpool, the priority is clear: keep Salah on the pitch for as long as possible before he heads to Morocco, where Egypt will attempt to reclaim continental glory.

His final contributions before departing may prove decisive in shaping the club’s early-season trajectory.