Richard Hughes' involvement in Mohamed Salah decision at Liverpool explained by Arne Slot

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes

Arne Slot has confirmed he made the final decision on dropping Mohamed Salah against Inter Milan, and the final call again on his return to Liverpool’s squad this weekend.

Salah was left out of the traveling squad for this week’s win at the San Siro in the Champions League following his extraordinary outburst last weekend.

The 33-year-old took aim at both the club and Slot in his interview at Elland Road, claiming that Liverpool had thrown him “under the bus”.

Slot now made another big call on Salah returning to his squad for tomorrow’s game against Brighton, which the winger has already suggested could be his final appearance for the Reds.

Liverpool’s head coach has confirmed discussions have been ongoing between the club and Salah’s representatives this week

It was reported earlier this week that sporting director Richard Hughes had been involved in the process of whether Salah would be included in the squad to face Inter, with some supporters raising eyebrows at the prospect of Slot not getting the final say.

However, the Dutchman clarified during his pre-match press conference on Friday that, while Hughes and others were involved in the discussions, the final call came down to him.

Slot

“I think we decided as a club, and I was part of that decision not to take him to the Inter Milan game,”

“I’m always in contact with them, but when it comes to the decision-making of the line-up or the squad, they always leave that open to me, but that’s not to say that I don’t talk to them - mainly Richard by the way, not Michael [Edwards].

“But I talk to him [Hughes] about so many things, but the decision to play a player or to have him in the squad, as I’ve experienced it till now and I think this will never change, is entirely up to me.”

Questions still remain over Salah’s future, with the Egypt international set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations following tomorrow’s game.

With the tournament running until January 18, that means he could miss up to eight Liverpool games.

By then, of course, the transfer window will be open, meaning there is the possibility that he could secure a move away from Anfield before he’s due to return to Merseyside.

Asked whether he wants to keep Salah,

Slot responded: “Like I said, it’s another way of asking it, the next time I talk about Mo should be with him, and I have no reasons for not wanting him to stay, if that is a little bit of an answer to your question.”

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