Mohamed Salah's bombshell interview after Liverpool's draw at Leeds United last Saturday caused an issue Arne Slot really could have done without.
The Reds boss was already under heavy scrutiny following a patchy run of form that has left their Premier League title defence in tatters, and Leeds' stoppage-time equaliser to snatch a 3-3 draw raised further questions of Slot and his faltering side.
Mohamed Salah and Arne Slot set for crunch talks over future
The fallout from the Reds star's explosive interview has dominated the headlines over the past few days, with Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher weighing in on Monday Night Football.
Slot then left Salah out of his squad for Tuesday's Champions League victory over Inter Milan, claiming that the Egyptian's comments - which included the claim that he no longer has 'any relationship' with the Dutchman - had 'affected many people at the club'.
There is now major uncertainty around the 33-year-old's future, complicated by the fact that he is set to leave next week for the Africa Cup of Nations - where he will captain Egypt - which starts on December 21.
It means time is of the essence for Liverpool and Slot, with the Mirror reporting on Thursday morning that the manager is set to hold crunch talks with Salah 'in the next 48 hours' to decide his future.
The forward is reportedly attracting interest from five clubs, all from the Saudi Pro League or MLS, and with the January transfer window a matter of weeks away, his situation will remain a hot topic if there is no resolution at Anfield.
Salah has already hinted that Saturday's Premier League game against Brighton & Hove Albion could be his last for Liverpool, having scored 250 goals in 420 appearances since his arrival from Roma in summer 2017.
The Mirror reports that the Reds are expecting bids for last year's PFA Player of the Year but don't currently plan to sell Salah, whose contract runs for another 18 months and is worth in excess of �400,000 per week.
Saudi Pro League chief Omar Mugharbel did not rule out a swoop for Salah from one the league's clubs, saying at the World Football Summit in Riyadh on Wednesday: 'Mohamed Salah is welcome in the Saudi League, but it is the clubs that are responsible for negotiating with players. For sure, Salah is one of (their targets).'
Al-Hilal, Al-Qadisah and Neom are all interested in the Liverpool talisman, according to the Mail, while US sides San Diego and Chicago Fire are also said to be monitoring the situation.
But with a busy Christmas period around the corner, Slot will surely want to resolve the superstar's future sooner rather than later.
