Mohamed Salah held positive peace talks with Liverpool boss Arne Slot this afternoon and the pair have shaken hands after a week that threatened to plunge the club into civil war.
The Reds head coach said on Friday morning that he would speak to the star man, who sensationally claimed he had been ‘thrown under the bus’ by the club and had ‘no relationship’ with Slot.
It led him to be dropped on Tuesday for Liverpool’s win at Inter Milan with Salah not even travelling to Italy and many suspected his future was in firm doubt.
But Daily Mail Sport understands talks on Friday were positive and Salah is back in contention to play against Brighton on Saturday.
He has not started any of the last four games.
This is not to say the situation is resolved but representatives of both Salah and the club will hold further talks during the Egyptian’s upcoming time at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Salah will head to AFCON after the Brighton game and the resolution, temporary or otherwise, will at least ensure the furore surrounding the issue subsides.
There had been concern among many Liverpool fans that bridges had been burned and there would be no reconciliation.
Salah’s explosive interview after Liverpool’s disappointing late 3-3 draw with Leeds poured petrol on the fire of an already difficult situation for Slot.
As Daily Mail Sport reported, three Saudi Pro League clubs hold an interest in the right winger, while the MLS would also be a possible destination.
Those chances of an exit now appear reduced after Slot and Salah’s positive talks following training on Friday.
Speaking last Saturday in the mixed zone, Salah had said: ‘I could not believe I was sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. That’s the third time. It’s the first time in my career I think.
‘(I am) very disappointed, I have done so much for this club over the years, especially last season. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That’s how I feel.
‘Someone wants me to get all the blame. The club promised me a lot in summer. Now I’m on the bench so I can say they haven’t kept those promises.
‘I used to have a good relationship (with manager Slot). Now we don’t have any relationship and I don’t know why.’
Jamie Carragher branded the interview ‘a disgrace’, while Steven Gerrard said it was ‘wrong’ of Salah to say he’d been thrown under the bus.
His team-mates have both shown support for the manager while talking up Salah and his immense contribution to the club when grilled about the situation in the last week.
Earlier on Friday, Slot had struck a slightly optimistic tone in saying: ‘I have no reasons not wanting him to stay, if that is a little bit of an answer.’
It will be fascinating to see if the Dutchman starts Salah, who earns more than £400k-a-week at Anfield, in Saturday’s 3pm kick-off.
Liverpool have successfully switched to a diamond formation in Salah’s absence and the 33-year-old may have to play in a different role to the one he is used to on the right flank.
Alexander Isak is nursing a knock, so there is a chance Salah could come in and play alongside Hugo Ekitike up front, if given the nod to start against the Seagulls.
