Liverpool will block any sale of Federico Chiesa if Mohamed Salah guides Egypt far in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, the latest report has claimed.
The Reds appeared to get back on track on Sunday, beating West Ham United 2-0 in the Premier League at the London Stadium.
Salah and Chiesa were both unused substituted in the win, with the latter having only played 148 minutes in the top flight this season, and his lack of minutes under Arne Slot has led to speculation that he could leave the club.
The Italian has strongly been linked with a return to Serie A, though Salah’s participation in AFCON, a competition that is set to start on December 21 and end on January 18, could complicate any decision to sell the forward.
Football Insider report that while Liverpool would not be opposed to selling Chiesa, they are not prepared to weaken their squad if Egypt go far in AFCON and in turn delay Salah’s return.
Liverpool transfer news: Mohamed Salah January ‘plan’ revealed as ‘immediate future’ of Arne Slot squad player in doub
Liverpool will block any sale of Federico Chiesa if Mohamed Salah guides Egypt far in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, the latest report has claimed.
The Reds appeared to get back on track on Sunday, beating West Ham United 2-0 in the Premier League at the London Stadium.
Salah and Chiesa were both unused substituted in the win, with the latter having only played 148 minutes in the top flight this season, and his lack of minutes under Arne Slot has led to speculation that he could leave the club.
The Italian has strongly been linked with a return to Serie A, though Salah’s participation in AFCON, a competition that is set to start on December 21 and end on January 18, could complicate any decision to sell the forward.
Football Insider report that while Liverpool would not be opposed to selling Chiesa, they are not prepared to weaken their squad if Egypt go far in AFCON and in turn delay Salah’s return
The decision to drop Salah on Sunday was a brave decision, and there is no doubt that the team were more solid defensively on the right flank.
Joe Gomez also started as a right-back, and the natural centre-back height and physicality helped strengthen the backline.
However, the Reds did look blunt in the final third without Salah, but perhaps the selection of Gomez behind the 33-year-old would allow him to attack with freedom from defensive responsibility.
Gomez has a history of injuries, and deploying him in the backline would mean Slot would have to start all three of his available centre-backs, a risk he may not be willing to take.
January transfer window: Who should Liverpool target?
If Slot wishes to continue playing three centre-backs in his four-man defence, then adding a central defender in January is a must.
Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace may be a target, but while he is right footed, he has predominantly played on the left.
Slot could look to bring in a midfielder in order to provide a platform for the team, though the likes of Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton are likely to be prohibitively expensive.
There is also a chance that Slot may not be in charge by the time the January window opens, so the club could require different targets in different positions for a new manager.
