Arne Slot says he is not reading too much into Mohamed Salah's apparent cryptic social media post with regard to his Liverpool future.
The Egyptian forward is out of contract at the end of the season and the worry for Reds supporters, as things currently stand, is he will be able to speak to potential suitors outside of England and sign a pre-contract agreement from January 2025.
Not that speculation surrounding his future is having any impact on Salah's performances. So far this season he's scored nine goals across all competitions, weighing in with a further seven assists in 15 appearances.
The most recent of which was the winning goal at the weekend as Liverpool came from behind to beat Brighton & Hove Albion and, in the process, reclaim top spot in the Premier League table.
However, it was Salah's message - posted on his official Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) accounts after the game that raised a few eyebrows.
"Top of the table is where this club belongs. Nothing less," he wrote. "All teams win matches but there's only one champion in the end. That's what we want.
"Thank you for your support last night. No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like."
Top of the table is where this club belongs. Nothing less. All teams win matches but there’s only 1 champion in the end. That’s what we want. Thank you for your support last night. No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like. pic.twitter.com/c2rVHQxjK8
— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) November 3, 2024
It's the phrase 'no matter what happens' that is being interpreted as somewhat of a cryptic message regarding his future.
Although when Slot was quizzed about it during the news conference ahead of his side's UEFA Champions League clash against Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen, he didn't appear to be too concerned.
"That was a long question!" he responded whilst laughing. "You interpret in a way that other people maybe don't. I don't look at Instagram posts of the players, I only talk to them, which you can't! So that is the advantage I have.
"Mo is in a very good place at the moment, as long as he's been at Liverpool he's been in a good place but this season again as well. I'm hoping he can post one after tomorrow and Saturday again and what he says for that it's not important for me.
"[What's important for me] is how he plays and what he tells me when we have conversations and that's what matter and not how you guys interpet one of his posts.
"If it was [a reference to his future] then I should have spoken about he said. We have only spoken about Leverkusen because that team deserve all our attention for the quality they have. He is out of contract at the end of the season and Virgil said something in the past and now he has a post which you interpret in a certain way, this will probably continue for as long as their futures are not clear.
“But in the meantime let's hope they bring in the performances like Mo and Virgil had as well at the weekend."
