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Mohamed Salah and Liverpool FC could see a disruption to the 2025/26 Premier League not yet experienced in the Egyptian’s Anfield career.

Liverpool announced on Friday that the Egyptian as signed a two-year contract extension, ending months of speculation about his future at the club.

The 32-year-old, who joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, could have departed as a free agent this summer with his previous contract set to expire in Jun

The forward has been in sensational form this season, scoring 32 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions, with 27 coming in the Premier League, making him the division’s leading marksman.

Despite the contract extension securing Salah’s services through 2027, manager Arne Slot will face a significant selection headache next season due to the rescheduled Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

AFCON 2025, originally planned for summer 2025, has been moved to run from December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026, due to FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup taking place in June and July.

This unprecedented scheduling means the tournament will clash directly with the Premier League’s traditionally busy festive period.

Egypt has been drawn in Group B alongside South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe.

The Pharaohs begin their campaign against Zimbabwe on December 22, followed by a clash with South Africa on Boxing Day, and conclude the group stage against Angola on December 294.

Should Egypt progress through the tournament, as they typically do as seven-time champions, Salah could potentially be unavailable for Liverpool until mid-January, with the final scheduled for January 18, 2026

This new scheduling represents a significant departure from previous mid-season AFCON tournaments, which typically took place in January and February when domestic cup competitions reduced the number of Premier League fixtures missed.

Using this season’s schedule as a reference point, the tournament’s new timing could see Salah missing approximately eight Liverpool matches, including six Premier League games.

This extended absence will force Slot to find alternative solutions on Liverpool’s right wing.

Mohamed Salah’s 2023/24 season was notably derailed by the last Africa Cup of Nations after he suffered a hamstring injury during Egypt’s group-stage match against Ghana.

Salah limped off before halftime and was ruled out for at least two subsequent AFCON games, with Liverpool confirming he had a tear in his hamstring that required an intensive rehabilitation program and kept him sidelined for three to four weeks146.

Although Salah returned to Liverpool for treatment, the injury was more severe than initially feared and disrupted his rhythm and form.

After his return, he struggled to regain his explosive sharpness and consistency, and his impact in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign was noticeably diminished compared to his typically high standards.

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