Jurgen Klopp has called for the Egyptian Football Association to send Mohamed Salah back from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to undergo treatment on his muscle injury.
Salah will miss Egypt’s final group game against Cape Verde and is not expected to be fit until the quarter-final stage at the earliest after limping out of their 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.
No decision has yet been made, but Klopp says it “makes sense” for Salah to return to Merseyside for treatment, adding that he will be happy for the Egypt forward to return to AFCON duty “if he is fit before the final”.
“That’s the plan,” Klopp said after Liverpool’s 4-0 victory away to Bournemouth. “If that’s already decided 100 per cent, I don’t know. But that’s the plan. I think probably everybody sees it makes sense that he’s doing the rehab with us or with our people.
“That’s the plan. But if it’s written in stone already, I don’t know.”
Klopp said Liverpool’s medical staff are in contact with Salah and that he expects the player to return from the Ivory Coast. It is not yet clear whether the Egyptian FA agree with the Liverpool manager.
When asked whether he would still be happy for Salah to play later in the tournament if the injury clears up, Klopp said: “If Egypt qualifies for the final and he is fit before the final, then probably yes. Why not? That’s clear.”
It was confirmed by the Egyptian FA on Friday that Salah had sustained a muscle injury while on international duty for his country.
The 31-year-old was substituted in the first half of Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Ghana at AFCON on Thursday evening. Having undergone medical assessment, it was ruled that he would miss their next two fixtures.
(Fareed Kotb/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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