Mohamed Salah injury 'more serious than first thought' as extent of Liverpool star's absence revealed

Mohamed Salah's injury is more serious than first thought, his agent has confirmed.

The Egypt star is returning to Liverpool for treatment on a leg injury he suffered at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Salah was injured in Egypt's 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.

Egypt were hopeful that he could come back for a potential semi-final. The Egyptian football association had said on Friday that the 31-year-old would only feature in the tournament again if his nation advance to a quarter-final on February 2 or 3.

However, the player could potentially now be out for up to 28 days.

Salah's agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, said on X, formally Twitter: "Mohammed’s injury is more serious than first thought and he will be out for 21-28 days, and not 2 games.

"His best chance at participating in the current AFCON is by undergoing intensive rehabilitation in the uk and rejoining the team as soon as he is fit."

Egypt take on Cape Verde on Monday with a win enough to see them through to the knockout stages.

Asked if Salah would go back to AFCON should his country progress, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said on Friday: "I would say if Egypt qualifies for the final, if he's fit before the final, then probably yes."

Klopp added that Salah's hamstring problem was likely to be severe, given the forward had missed just 10 league games for Liverpool in over six seasons.

"He was shocked and couldn't see why he was hit by something so intense," said the Reds boss.

"You have these hamstring injuries in a different way. He felt it and we know how rarely Mo goes off, or needs to go off, so it is definitely something."

While it is uncertain he will make a return for this tournament, Salah said he was convinced he would one day win AFCON.

"I would love to win it, absolutely," he said, via the BBC. "It will happen somehow - that is what I believe. Whatever I believe, I achieve - so sooner or later, it will happen.

"I have won everything possible but this one, not yet. Everybody knows what it means to any player to win an Africa Cup.

"The players are very motivated to win the tournament. I believe that, with hard work, everything is possible, so we just need to win one game to qualify and we go from there."