Slot on Salah Crisis: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
19 December 2025
Slot's stance on Salah's role
Liverpool manager Arne Slot says the club has moved beyond the controversy sparked by Salah's remarks about sitting on the bench in several matches.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference with Tottenham, Slot said last week's message stands: actions speak louder than words, Salah was in the squad, and he was the first substitute.
He added that with Salah now at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt, his focus belongs there, playing big matches for himself and his country. There should be no distraction from anything said, as the matter was settled after Leeds and Brighton games.
The Egyptian star's future remains a hot topic, with recent reports claiming Salah told Liverpool's leadership and his coach that he refuses to become a squad option, fueling doubt about his long-term status at the Reds.
AFCON focus and the long view
And if Salah keeps ending up on the bench, you'll know the squad's new motto: come for the goals, stay for the dramatic press conferences.
If only transfers came with subtitles: Salah outshines the plot, Slot writes the script, and Tottenham just provides the intermission music.
