Mohamed Salah plans could be thrown into chaos as Liverpool brace for pre-season disruption
Egypt are expected to approach Liverpool over releasing Mohamed Salah for this summer's Olympics, with coach Ruggero Micali saying he "definitely" wants the forward in his ranks in Paris.
Micali is hopeful of the Egyptian Football Association holding positive discussions with Liverpool over Salah's participation at the Games, which sees the Pharaohs begin on July 24 against Dominican Republic.
The African nation also meet Uzbekistan and Spain in Group C on July 27 and 30, respectively, which is a schedule that clashes with the Reds' pre-season tour of the United States. The Gold Medal match takes place on August 9, just over a week before the Premier League season kicks off.
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The ECHO understands that no contact has been made as of yet, although Micali has revealed he is looking to name Salah as one of his three players aged over 23.
Speaking to winwin.com, the Egypt's Olympics boss claimed the FA will look to speak to Anfield officials about bringing Salah into the squad this summer, which will mean new head coach Arne Slot could be without one of his star men for a portion of the summer schedule if cleared.
"We have 10 names under consideration, and we will choose three players from them," Micali said.
"We have some shortcomings that need to be taken into account in the final selection. Negotiations with foreign clubs are lengthy to allow their players to join us at the Olympics, and we hope that those selected will get approval from their clubs.
"We are still awaiting the outcome of communication with Salah and his club Liverpool through the Egyptian Football Association. We definitely want him with us. I wish Salah could play with us at the Olympics.
"As I said earlier, it is always good for a player to be involved, we do not interfere in players' clubs about whether or not they are in the squad, our job is to determine who can help us, and obviously if many of them do not play, they may arrive at matches without fitness, and this is not good."
Liverpool play three games in America across late July and early August, with a clash against Real Betis coming on at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Friday July 26, before all-Premier League meetings with Arsenal, on July 31 in Philadelphia and Manchester United, which comes on August 3 in South Carolina.
Salah's most recent involvement for Egypt saw him pick up a hamstring injury at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, which led to the club flying him back to Merseyside to undergo rehabilitation under the watch of their physios rather than leaving him in the Ivory Coast, where the tournament was being held.
Liverpool and Egypt then agreed to leave the Reds' No.11 out of the fixtures for the March international break given he had only just returned from that hamstring complaint at the time but as the nation's captain, Salah is also wanted at the Olympics as the Pharaohs chase gold in France.
The 31-year-old appeared to confirm he will be staying at the Reds this summer in a tweet sent on Monday evening. Salah is heading into the final 12 months of the most lucrative contract ever handed out at Anfield and has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ittihad seeing a bid worth up to £150m turned down last summer.
He posted: "We know that trophies are what count and we will do everything possible to make that happen next season. Our fans deserve it and we will fight like hell."