Mohamed Salah’s return to Liverpool from the Africa Cup of Nations has been confirmed by the Egyptian Football Association.
This decision comes as Salah sustained a muscle injury during the first half of Egypt’s group-stage match against Ghana on Thursday.
An update revealed that he is likely to miss the next two matches for Egypt if they advance to the knockout rounds of the tournament in the Ivory Coast.
Following the Pharaohs’ Group B finale against Cape Verde on Monday night, Salah will travel back to Merseyside for treatment.
The Egyptian FA said in a statement on Sunday: “After additional examinations were conducted on Mohamed Salah during the last hours, and after communication between the national team’s medical staff and his counterpart at Liverpool FC, it was decided that the player will return to England after the Cape Verde match tomorrow to complete his treatment, with the hope that he will join the national team in the semi-final of the AFCON if we qualify.”
Additionally, speaking at the post-match press conference following Liverpool’s 4-0 win at AFC Bournemouth, Klopp said: “That’s the plan. If that’s already decided 100 per cent I don’t know, but that’s the plan.”
“However long he is out, I think probably everybody sees that it makes sense that he is doing the rehab with us or with our people.
“That’s the plan, but if that’s now written in stone already, I don’t know.”
Klopp added: “[I spoke with him] directly after [the game], pretty much the night it happened. Since then, he’s in contact with our doctor. The doc tells me the news, so I think he will be back.”
On whether Salah could feature again for Egypt during AFCON, the manager said: “I’m not a doctor. I would say if Egypt qualify for the final and he is fit before the final then probably yes. Why not?
“That’s clear, it’s the tournament. Ivory Coast, I am sure it is a wonderful country, but we have no people from us there and their people have to take care of the players who are playing, so let’s see.”
