Liverpool boss Arne Slot kept his cards close to his chest when asked about talks with Mohamed Salah ahead of his return from AFCON.

Salahis set to fly back to Merseyside following Egypt’s semi-final defeat by Senegal, where his former team-mate Sadio Mane notched the winner in Tangier.

The Egyptian hero’s Liverpool future was up in the air when he left for the tournament after he claimed the club had “thrown me under the bus” following the Reds’ draw with Leeds, adding that he and Slot had “no relationship”.

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Salah came on as a second-half substitute against Brighton before leaving in December, but his return to Anfield has been eagerly awaited as he looks to force his way back into Slot’s first team.

On Salah’s return, Slot said in his press conference on Friday: “First of all, he plays a big game for Egypt on Saturday [in the third-place play-off vs Nigeria] and then he comes back to us.

“I am happy he comes back. Mo has been so important for this club and me, so I am happy he is back. Even if I had 15 attackers, I would be happy to see Mo back but that is not our situation.

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“Next week [Salah will return], we are in talks with him and what is expected of him over there and over here. He has an important game on Saturday and then he will be back with us.

“We are talking together about [the Marseille game] now.”

Asked whether he had spoken to Salah, Slot added: “What happens with Mo and me on our phone or over here stays with us two. I don’t share it is necessary for me to share the details of the private conversations I have either on phone or here with any of my players.”

Paul Merson doesn’t expect Salah to return to his peak having watched his “not very good” performances for Egypt at AFCON, despite his four goals and an assist.

“The real fun starts again when Mohamed Salah returns from the AFCON!” Merson told Sportskeeda. “Does he go straight back into the XI? If I’m being honest, I don’t think Salah was very good at the AFCON. Them days where he gets goals out of nothing are gone!

“I don’t think Salah even gave his opponents’ full-back a hard time at the AFCON. I just don’t see him being that guy anymore. So it will be interesting to see if Liverpool feel the same way.”

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