Mo Salah would have ‘100% stayed’ at Liverpool if Arne Slot was sacked earlier says former teammate

Mohamed Salah would have "100% stayed" at Liverpool if Arne Slot was sacked earlier in the season, according to former teammate Dejan Lovren, who claims the pair "did not have a good relationship".

After nine record-breaking years at Anfield, Salah called time on his Liverpool career at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.

A number of factors are said to have played a part in Salah's decision to leave, including his turbulent relationship with Arne Slot, who dropped Salah on numerous occasions amid a poor run of form.

After being dropped against Leeds in December, Salah was asked if his relationship with Slot had broken down. He replied: "Yeah, there's no relationship between us. It was a very good relationship and now all of a sudden there is no relationship."

Speaking ahead of the season-finale against Brentford last month, the Egyptian was coy when discussing his departure.

“Last season I wasn’t ready to go, but now with everything going on in the season, I don’t go into detail, but you know what it’s time,” he said. “There is a lot of things behind the scenes people don’t know about. I have peace with it.”

However, Salah proceeded to aim a not-so-subtle dig at Slot's style of play, urging Liverpool to return to being a "heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear".

Salah ahead of his final Liverpool game against Brentford. Image credit: Getty

Salah would still be at Liverpool if Slot was dismissed earlier

As the dust settles on Salah's departure, former Liverpool teammate and close friend Dejan Lovren has opened up about the situation in a revealing interview with Winwin.

Asked if he thought Salah would have continued with Liverpool next season if Slot had left the club earlier, Lovren said: "Yes, he would have stayed 100%. Believe me, he would have stayed 100%.

"I know it, but the timing was bad. Only an idiot would say we don’t need him anymore."

Lovren added: “I mean, you say you don’t need Mohamed Salah at Liverpool when he can still perform for another two or three years at the highest level, then we have trouble understanding football.”

Mo Salah "didn't have a good relationship" with Arne Slot, according to Lovren

Lovren also gave an insight into Salah and Slot's relationship, adding: “I don’t think it’s management, I think it’s just one person, and I think it’s just the coach."

He continued: “They didn’t have a good relationship, let’s just say it as it is, with Klopp he had a really beautiful relationship.

“They weren’t always perfect, but they knew each other well, let’s say that too, they trusted each other, they loved each other, they did everything on the pitch for Klopp, and Klopp gave him confidence, but (with Slot) everything was the opposite.

“It’s that simple, and everyone knows that because when you look at the previous eight or nine seasons, they’ve done really well.

“Then in the last season…now people will say, ‘oh yes, but he also did well in the first year that Slot came in,’ but I don’t think it was because I think he just took the team the way it was, as the team was already.

“So, as I said, it’s sad, in my opinion, that Mo leaves like this. I never expected that. Especially since he had another year.”