Liverpool have reportedly ‘refused’ Mohamed Salah permission to join up with the Egyptian national team for a World Cup qualifier next month.
The Pharaohs’ are set to face important fixtures against Angola and Gabon at the beginning of September and had planned on including their talismanic 29-year-old in the squad.
However, the Reds could be set to block the wingers’ participation in the clash with Angola due to being held in Salah’s homeland.
This comes from a report on Twitter from FilGoal, as cited by Neil Jones on Twitter.
Twitter: Update on this: Liverpool are willing to release Salah for the Gabon game, as Gabon is an amber-list country.
Egy… https://t.co/glRXI9my3Z (@neiljonesgoal)
Earlier this summer, Liverpool informed Egypt’s FA that the man signed for £34million from AS Roma in 2017 (BBC), wouldn’t be released to participate in the Olympic Games.
These decisions follow empowerment passed in 2020 by FIFA allowing clubs to prevent their players from representing their countries amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Egypt currently sits on the government red list, meaning the 68-cap international superstar would be forced to quarantine on return to the UK – perhaps missing Premier League fixtures with Leeds United and Crystal Palace as a result.
READ LIVERPOOL VERDICT
Whilst it’s wholly understandable Egypt manager Hossam El Badry would want the £90million valued ace for each and every competitive fixture – Liverpool’s stance is one of defiant strength.
Salah is of huge importance to Jurgen Klopp’s plans – as shown in the opening two weeks of the season.
With the man dubbed the ‘Egyptian King’ already likely to miss two fixtures in January for AFCON, along with Naby Keita and Sadio Mane, holding onto key figures where possible is imperative.
This may be just the start of international confusion as South American, European and African countries all jet off on international duty.
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