Tokyo 2020 - Liverpool turn down Mohamed Salah's request to feature for Egypt at Olympics - reports

ByCoral Barry

Updated 23/06/2021 at 12:37 GMT

Mohamed Salah is keen to represent Egypt at the Olympic Games this summer despite the clash with Liverpool's pre-season. The Egyptian FA claim Salah is lobbying Liverpool to allow him to travel to Tokyo but the Reds have decided against releasing their star man. Salah is already booked in to miss part of the new campaign due to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Liverpool will not release Mohamed Salah to play at the Olympics Games this summer.

The Olympics kick off in Tokyo in a month’s time and football teams are still finalising their squads amid a busy summer of international football.

Squads can select three players over the age of 24 and Egypt are clearly hopeful Salah will be able to convince Liverpool to let him feature.

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“I do not want to say that it is impossible for Salah to participate in the Olympics, but it is difficult,” Egypt Football Association president Ahmed Megahed told ONTime Sport.

“Salah agreed to lead the Olympic team during the last camp of the Egyptian team.

"We contacted Liverpool to allow Salah to join the Olympic team, and they said they were waiting for the approval of the technical staff, but in the end, Liverpool refused the request because they do not want to lose the player at the beginning of the season, as well as next January with the Africa Cup of Nations, which will keep him from participating in the English Premier League matches.

We spoke with Salah again, and he told us that he will make a new attempt with the technical staff of his team, to resolve the matter, and within the next two days he will find a way.

Like most players, Salah has endured a hectic 12 months of action with the Premier League scrambling to make up the lost time due to the Covid-19 shutdown.

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Liverpool’s squad were hit with a host of costly injuries as a result and are already set to lose Salah, Naby Keita Sadio Mane to the African Cup of Nations in January.

And the Athletic Liverpool have decided against granting Salah his wish to play for Egypt in Tokyo. The decision comes amid concerns about burn-out and Salah's particpation in the African Cup of Nations.

Salah was included in Egypt's provisional squad for the Games and a decision is expected by the end of the week.

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Were Liverpool to release Salah, he may not report to pre-season until August 7 – just seven days before the new league campaign begins.

Salah would miss Liverpool’s entire pre-season preparations, with the Reds kicking off their season with games against Norwich, Burnley and Chelsea.

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