‘I will have a conversation’ - Arne Slot set for crucial talk with Salah before he leaves for AFCON

With Salah scheduled to join the Egyptian national team for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, speculation has been rife that the 33-year-old may have played his final match for the Reds.

The situation escalated after Salah was left out of the squad for Tuesday's Champions League match against Inter Milan. 

His exclusion came shortly after an interview where he stated he felt "thrown under the bus" and described his relationship with Slot as "broken" following a draw with Leeds.

However, speaking at a press conference ahead of Liverpool's weekend clash with Brighton, Slot confirmed he would address the matter directly with the player. 

"I will have a conversation with Mo this morning," the manager stated. "The outcome of that conversation determines how we move forward.

"The next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here," Slot told reporters, as reported by the Sun.

"We’ve spoken a lot in the last week... There have been a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me."

When asked directly if he wanted the club's third-highest all-time goalscorer to remain at Anfield, the Dutch manager was unequivocal. "I have no reason not to want Mo to stay," he replied.

The manager also addressed Salah's absence from the trip to Milan, clarifying it was a collective decision. 

"We’ve decided as a club, I was part of that decision not to take Mo to Inter Milan," Slot explained, while asserting his ultimate authority on team selection. "When it comes to the decision-making of the squad or the line-up, that is always left to me."