Slot Under Fire Over Salah Treatment as Egyptian Journalist Blasts "Scapegoating" – Transfer Call Imminent

Liverpool's decision to move on from Mohamed Salah at season's end continues to attract scrutiny, with an Egyptian journalist now questioning manager Arne Slot's treatment of the departing forward.

Salah's exit was confirmed in March, but the fallout from his time in the twilight of his Anfield career has refused to die down. The winger made headlines back in December when he publicly vented his frustrations, suggesting the club had hung him out to dry during a difficult stretch at the back end of 2025. Benched with regularity, Salah's exclusion from the starting XI sparked tension that required intervention from the boardroom.

Slot and Liverpool's hierarchy jointly opted to leave Salah on the bench for the Inter Milan fixture, though subsequent discussions between all parties led to the Egyptian returning to action against Brighton. An understanding was reportedly reached: tensions would be shelved for the remainder of the campaign, with Salah's departure set for the summer.

His minutes have increased since, yet frustration has resurfaced. Magdy Salama, a journalist with El Balad and Al Qahera News, has expressed dismay at Salah's limited involvement in Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain last week.

Speaking to Foot Mercato, Salama pulled no punches: "I think Mohamed Salah deserved better treatment, particularly from the club's management and coach. Liverpool's poor season made Salah a scapegoat for the team's poor performances, but in my opinion, it wasn't his fault. The departure of influential players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz, as well as the decline in form of the midfielders, affected the entire team.

"If you asked any Liverpool fan, or any fan of Premier League football in general, or of Egypt in particular, they would tell you that Salah would start against PSG given his crucial role in the Reds' lineup and his exceptional ability to decide big games. However, it seems that Slot's stubbornness cost him a 2-0 defeat, as Liverpool failed to register a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes."

On the matter of where Salah will ply his trade next, Salama suggested the 32-year-old remains undecided but has options aplenty. "Mohamed Salah hasn't yet decided on his next destination. I believe he is capable of continuing his career in Europe, whether in Spain, France, or Italy. No one can deny Salah's immense talent, and although there are offers from Saudi Arabia and the United States on the horizon, he is expected to make his next decision in the near future, before the World Cup."

Salah himself aired his grievances earlier in the campaign, saying: "I've done so much for this club. Everyone can see that over the years, especially last season. To be on the bench – I don't know why. I feel like the club is throwing me under the bus. That's how I feel. I don't know why it always happens to me. 'We throw Mo under the bus, because he's the problem.' I don't think I'm the problem. The club made a lot of promises this summer, so far, I've been benched three games in a row. You can't say they've kept their promises."