Liverpool and Egypt may face a potential disagreement as the Egyptian national team manager, Rogerio Micale, expresses his desire to include Mohamed Salah in his squad for the 2024 Olympic Games.
According to the Liverpool Echo, Micale has openly admitted his intention to have Salah participate as an overage player in the Olympics, which is scheduled to take place between July 26 and August 11 in Paris.
If Salah were to be selected, it is likely that he would miss the beginning of the 2024-25 season, as his involvement in the tournament would overlap with the start of domestic fixtures.
Moreover, Salah is already expected to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) between January and February of the upcoming season, leading to his absence from several Liverpool matches.
Liverpool has previously turned down a request for Salah to participate in the Olympics, rejecting a similar proposal for the Tokyo edition in 2021.
As such, the situation between Liverpool and Egypt may potentially lead to a dispute regarding Salah’s availability for both international and club competitions.
Because the Olympics is a non-FIFA sanctioned event, clubs can block their players from participating, and Liverpool may do so again.
Micale said: “We still have one year to think of the matter and evaluate the situation, but for sure we welcome Salah… Salah is as significant as Neymar in Brazil.”
Salah is likely to be key for the Reds as they attempt to recover from a disappointing 2022-23 season, in which they failed to qualify for the Champions League.