Mohamed Salah could miss Liverpool during the Olympic Games (Olympics) and the African Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021. Indeed, his inclusion in the Egypt team for the meeting in Tokyo means that the Reds should do without his services, at least, in the Premier League pre-season. But also, the qualification since yesterday of the Pharaohs in Cameroon-2021 will make him unavailable in the middle of the season.

With the Olympics (23 July – 8 August 2021) and the CAN (09 January – 06 February 2022), Mohamed Salah will play very little for Liverpool in the coming season. Coach Shawky Gharib reiterates his wish to include the Reds star in the Egyptian Olympic team. And this is not without consequences for Jürgen Klopp, who will have to do without the Pharaoh during the entire preseason. Even a good part of the start of the season depending on Egypt’s performance in Tokyo. A date, it seems, in Salah’s agenda .

The Reds deprived of Salah in the preseason?

“ I made it public that I would like to have him with us during our Olympic campaign and he did not refuse. Which means he also wants to play with us , says Gharib. Salah’s participation in the Olympics is state approved. Which was represented by the Ministry of Sports and the Egyptian Football Federation. This, in our concerted effort to win an Olympic medal in football for the first time. Salah, as one of the top three international players, will take the Pharaohs to a whole new level at the Olympics. His presence among us will make a huge difference, ”he said.

The Reds winger is thus in the Egyptian Olympic pre-selection. It is, in fact, one of the three players over 23 years old called in reinforcement by Gharib for the planetary meeting in Japan. The matches will take place this summer in Tokyo. However, yesterday Thursday, Daily Express reports , the Premier League confirmed that the 2021/22 season will run from August 14, 2021 to May 22, 2022 . It is certainly at the end of the Olympics, but the concern wins at Anfield. Even if Klopp wants to be a philosopher.

Cameroon, an African meeting not to be missed

“ We’ve had to play without Mo before. Not too often, thank God, but every now and then. That is not the question. All the good things I could say about Mo, I’ve said them in the past. But come on, it’s the Olympics, I’m still a sportsman. The Olympics are the Olympics . ” Without saying it bluntly, the situation worries the German. “ We’ll have to see how to deal with it. We can’t really discuss it because we don’t know much, or very much. But we’ve heard about some of the things the manager of the Olympic team has said. We have to get in touch (with them) or they have to contact us and we’ll see ”. he suggests to Liverpool Echo .

The potential presence of Mohamed Salah at the Olympics should not worry Liverpool much compared to his absence during CAN 2021. Indeed, the continental high mass is stalled mid-season of the Premier League. Namely, from January 09 to February 06, 2022. And, Liverpool will especially have to pray that the coming exercise is different from the current one. Indeed, the downfall of the Reds sounded noticeably during this period. Because at this point in the season, Klopp’s men have suffered four setbacks. Softened, however, by two successes: in the FA Cup (January 4-1, 8) at Aston Villa and against West Ham in the Premier League (January 1-3, 31). Even the draw against Manchester United (0-0, January 17).

The need for Liverpool to strengthen in attack is then more than obvious. But, it is more significant with also the unavailability at the same period of Senegalese Sadio Mané . Without counting Just like the defensive midfielder Naby Keita , who will be at the bridge with Guinea. We wouldn’t like to be in Jürgen Klopp’s place.