Mohamed Salah injury update: how long will he be out of action for?

Egypt international Mohamed Salah suffered a muscle injury during his country’s Africa Cup of Nations fixture with Ghana on Thursday. The forward was forced off in the first half of the 2-2 draw and an update on Salah’s injury has been provided by the player’s agent.

As reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano on Monday, Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas said: “The injury is more serious than first thought. He will be out for 21-28 days. His best chance at participating in the current AFCON is by undergoing intensive rehabilitation in the UK and rejoining the team as soon as he is fit.”

Klopp on Salah

On Sunday, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp also offered an update on the muscle injury. Asked about the possibility of Salah returning to Merseyside during his post-match press conference following Liverpool’s 4-0 win away to 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.”

When asked if Salah could feature again for Egypt during AFCON, Klopp added: “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.”

Liverpool without Salah

Salah’s Africa Cup of Nations may be all but over, so when could he make a return to action with Liverpool? With his agent suggesting that he will be out for three to four weeks, the Reds forward could therefore be absent until at least the middle of February, with the AFCON final taking place on February 11.

Liverpool play against Burnley in the Premier League on February 10, away to Brentford on February 17, and against Luton Town on February 24. The latest reports suggest that Salah could now miss all three of those games for Liverpool. However, if Liverpool do progress to the EFL Cup final, that would be on February 25, which would postpone the Luton match to a later date in the season.