In March the bomb jumped. Salah intended to play the Olympics this summer. The dates (July 23 to August 8) collide with Liverpool's preseason, which was facing, and is facing, a difficult situation. The Egyptian U23 coach himself, Shawky Gharib, verbalized the information: “I make it known publicly that I would like to have him during the Olympic campaign and that he has not rejected it.”. Well, when the tournament gets dangerously close, the forward has been included in the provisional list of Pharaohs as one of the two, the other is Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), footballers above the U-23 cycle that marks participation.
It is not official yet, but the next 48 hours will be crucial in the outcome of this case, which is practically a matter of state. The president of the Egyptian Football Federation, Ahmed Megahed, has insisted on the idea in an interview in ON Time Sport: “We have spoken with Salah again and he has told us that he will make a new attempt with the coaching staff of his team, to solve the problem, and that he will find a way in the next two days.“. Megahed has spent several months working in the presence of his great star at the Olympics and he does not lose hope, nor does the footballer himself.
Of course, in the Federation they are aware that it will not be easy, as the leader also recognizes: “I don't want to say that it is impossible for Salah to participate in the Olympic Games, but it is difficult. Salah agreed to lead the Olympic team during the last concentration. We have contacted Liverpool to allow them to join and they say they are awaiting approval from the coaching staff. But, be that as it may, they rejected the proposal because they don't want to lose the player by the start of the season. Besides that they will not be able to count on him next January, when the Africa Cup takes place, which will prevent him from participating in a good number of Premier League matches. “
Hot potato for Liverpool
The ball, and even more so when Salah gets in contact with them, is on the roof of the net. Football competition at the Games begins on July 22 and ends on August 7, a week before the Premier season begins. Thus, the one from Nagrig would miss the entire preseason and his return would depend on the rest time he needed to recharge the fuel tank. But the first days, against Norwich, Burnley and Chelsea, they would be in more than real danger …