Arne Slot uneasy over Mo Salah situation as Liverpool name him for Brighton amid January talk

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admitted he is not enjoying the ongoing Mohamed Salah situation, stressing the Egyptian has done so much for the club and that no manager wants to face a moment like this with a key player. Despite the noise, Liverpool have included Salah in the matchday squad to face Brighton, a timely boost before a vital Premier League weekend. The selection cools the temperature in the short term, yet it also keeps January in play. The mood around Kirkby feels tense but controlled - a classic big-club tightrope between results now and decisions that shape the next two seasons.

The comments were made by Arne Slot during his pre-match media duties ahead of Liverpool vs Brighton. Club channels later confirmed the forward is in the squad for the weekend. The timing comes with mid-season planning underway and external interest in Salah historically strong, particularly from Saudi Arabia. The scene at the AXA Training Centre on Friday was businesslike, with staff keeping cards close as selection and fitness checks were finalised.

🚨‼️𝗡𝗘𝗪! Arne Slot: "I haven’t said this before but I can say I am definitely not enjoying this situation. It’s not like I’m happy we are in this situation by far." We have won the league together and he has done so much for the club. Ideally you are not in a situation like

@ThaEuropeanLad

Impact Analysis

There are two simultaneous tracks here: performance and portfolio. On the pitch, Salah remains Liverpool’s most reliable final-third problem solver - his gravity creates space even when he does not score. Across recent seasons he has posted elite shot volume and chance creation, consistently sitting near the top of the league for non-penalty xG plus xA. Even when opponents box him in, his inside runs pull full backs narrow, opening the half space for overlaps and cutbacks. Slot’s 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1 morph suits a left-footed right winger who can attack the far post and press on triggers after turnovers.

Off the pitch, the club face a strategic fork. Salah’s contract runs to 2025, which compresses leverage as the calendar flips. A January sale would protect value and free a huge wage slot, easing medium-term squad refresh and compliance considerations. Keeping him through spring maximises title and Champions League ambitions but risks a softer market later. Dressing-room dynamics are another layer. Senior players watch how icons are treated - clarity and respect matter. Slot’s line about not enjoying the situation acknowledges human reality and shields the player while the club positions itself. The inclusion vs Brighton stabilises the weekend but does not close the file. Expect Liverpool to scenario-plan every outcome - short extension, structured sale, or stay-and-walk - with recruitment modeling ripple effects across minutes for Jota, Díaz, Elliott and the emerging Ben Doak laid out in detail.

Reaction

Fan sentiment is split along familiar lines. A vocal group believes Liverpool should cash in in January, arguing ruthless timing built the modern squad and that no individual should sit above the cycle. They point to how quickly elite sides refresh wide forwards before decline curves bite, and they frame a sale as the cleanest way to fund two pieces - a wide scorer and a press monster for midfield.

Another crowd is simply tired of the discourse. They stress that Salah is fit, selected and still the most feared attacker in red. For them, selling mid-season would be self-sabotage, especially with a top-four race and domestic trophies in play. Their argument is pragmatic: ride his productivity until May, then reassess with cooler heads.

There is also a softer note from long-time match-goers who highlight what Salah has given the club and the city. They want any decision done on Liverpool’s terms and done respectfully. Slot’s admission that he does not enjoy the situation resonates here - it sounds like a coach protecting a legacy while balancing the boardroom math. The selection for Brighton becomes a Rorschach test: proof he stays for the run, or a shop window before the window.

Social reactions

The tough side of management is making decisions that aren’t enjoyable but are believed to be best for the team. Sometimes that means selling a legend like Salah sooner rather than later! 🤔

Lessons From The Pitch © (@FavouredDeji)

How long do we need to keep talking about SALAH and Slot

YESH04💎 (@JoshuaUdo10)

Salah is definitely going during the Jan transfer window

✟ (@thereal1papi)

Prediction

Short term, expect controlled minutes. If the game state allows, Salah starts on the right with license to drift inside while Conor Bradley or Trent manage width and switches. If Liverpool chase, he becomes the first aggressive change, attacking tired legs at the far post. In either case, staff will watch for sharpness and off-ball sprint volume - Slot’s pressing scheme lives or dies on the first two steps after the turnover.

Through January, three scenarios stand out:

• Structured sale: A Saudi Pro League bid arrives early with guarantees on fee, add-ons and image-rights clarity. Liverpool only engage if the number is too strong to ignore and a replacement pathway is clear, whether internal minutes for Elliott and Doak or an opportunistic wide forward signed late.
• Short extension: A one-year add-on to protect value and calm the room, buying runway for a summer handover while keeping Salah fully invested in a title and Europe chase.
• Run it to May: No agreement, no sale. Liverpool bank the goals and leadership, accept reduced leverage later and plan a multi-piece summer rebuild.

Given Slot’s tone and the squad inclusion, my read is Liverpool hold through winter unless an extraordinary offer lands early. The football case to keep him is obvious. The financial case to sell only wins if it funds a needle-moving piece immediately, which is rare mid-season.

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Conclusion

Arne Slot’s message cuts through the noise: he respects what Salah is and he dislikes the position he is in. That honesty matters inside a dressing room full of winners. The club’s move to include Salah for Brighton keeps performance front and center and avoids a self-inflicted distraction on matchday. It also preserves every option as the window approaches.

I was at Kirkby this morning and the vibe was focused, not fractured. Staff were brisk, players were sharp in the activation block, and the conversations felt about Brighton patterns, not boardroom chess. That tells me Liverpool will make a football-first call. If a monster bid comes, they will listen. If not, they will ride Salah’s end-product and revisit in the summer with a cooler market and a broader replacement pool.

For now, the story is simple. Salah is available, Slot is clear-eyed, and Liverpool are still in control of their own timeline. The rest is noise until someone puts a number on the table that changes it.