The Egyptian Football Association have begun talks with Mohamed Salah over participating in next summer’s Olympic Games – which would see the forward miss the start of Liverpool’s 2024/25 campaign.
The football at next year’s finals, which take place in Paris, runs from July 24 until August 10 – just two days before the 2024/25 Premier League is due to start.
Despite the competition being primarily for players under the age of 23, all 16 nations are allowed to name three ‘over-aged’ players to aid their hopes of securing a place on the podium. And with Salah the captain of Egypt’s national team, under-23s coach Rogerio Micale is hoping he will be able to call on the services of the Liverpool forward next summer.
“I want to count on Salah,” said Micale, in an interview with Brazilian outlet Jovem Pan. “It is a conversation we have already started, but it depends on several factors, such as Liverpool’s release. If everything goes well, I want to be able to count on him. It is a strong reinforcement and that can give us more hope to win a medal.”
Despite the wishes of the Egyptian FA, due to Salah’s status as an ‘over-aged’ player, Liverpool will not be obliged to sanction the release of the forward. According to FIFA rules, clubs will only be made to free players aged 23 and under.
Egypt qualified for the Paris finals after finishing as runners-up in this year’s under-23s Africa Cup of Nations, where they were beaten 2-1 by Morocco after extra time.
“We lost the final in detail, but we left satisfied because the objective was to go to Paris. We believe that a year’s work is being well done,” added Micale. “Egypt is satisfied, there is euphoria in the country. We showed great potential.
“Until the final, we had not conceded a goal. It is a cause for joy. We have everything to make a great Olympics.”
As was the case for those included in the 2021 Olympic Games, a call-up to the finals would see Salah miss a large part of Liverpool’s pre-season schedule – a time that manager Jurgen Klopp values so dearly.
The 31-year-old could be missing for up to seven games in January 2024 as he is set to lead Egypt out at the forthcoming African Cup of Nations finals, where he and his team-mates will be looking to claim their eighth title and avenge their 2022 final loss to Senegal.
