Arne Slot has claimed that Mohamed Salah made the decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season. Slot faced the media on Friday for the first time since Salah’s announcement and declined to divulge why or when Salah decided to leave the club. Slot believes Salah should explain the reasons for exiting 12 months before his contract expires.
It was put to Slot that he is perceived as the “bad guy” behind Salah’s departure after the player’s outspoken criticism in December. Slot responded to his own standing among many Liverpool fans after this season’s disappointments, saying, “But that’s in general at the moment, isn’t it?”
Slot’s Perspective on Salah’s Exit
Slot insisted he would not have handled the situation with the club legend any differently. He explained, “Yes [he is happy with how he managed it]. I look back at this season thinking that I made a few decisions that could have been better, but I’m not talking about this specific thing with Mo. I don’t regret many things I did during our one-and-a-half years together, or just longer.”
Slot also addressed the assumption that Salah’s desire to leave stemmed from a lack of playing time. “The assumption that if he’s not playing then he wants to leave – then he would have left one-and-a-half years ago [if that was the case]. I remember West Ham away when he wasn’t playing [under Jürgen Klopp in April 2024]. I wasn’t here then. He didn’t decide to leave.”
He continued: “The assumption is that if you don’t play in these games all of a sudden you want to leave. It is an assumption and maybe it is true or maybe it isn’t, but history has shown he did not do that previously and he had a great season after that.”
Salah’s Criticism and Relationship with Slot
Salah had been benched for three games in six days in December when he accused the club of throwing him under a bus for Liverpool’s terrible results. He also claimed his relationship with Slot was nonexistent. However, the coach is not convinced that fallout prompted the 33-year-old to bring a phenomenal Anfield career to an end.
“The only one who can talk about it is Mo himself,” said Slot. “You are making the assumption that he wants to leave because he was out for six days. I’m not sure what you are saying is true. I would be surprised if there’s not a moment when Mo shares his thoughts about why he made the decision he made. It’s not up to me to do that. It’s up to him. And I would not go into all these assumptions. I would be careful with assumptions.”
Club’s Stance on Salah’s Departure
Liverpool’s head coach also denied that by allowing Salah to leave on a free transfer this summer, the club appears happy to let the forward go. “Those are your words,” said Slot, who could have Alexander Isak on the bench for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City.
“I think Mo has earned the right completely to decide whenever he thinks he should leave. He’s done so many things for this club. He has to make