Mohamed Salah could miss several league games for Liverpool next season

Mohamed Salah may have committed his future to Liverpool by signing a new two-year deal that keeps him at Anfield until 2027, but Arne Slot will still need to plan for a significant period without his star man next season.

The 32-year-old has once again been a standout performer in the Premier League, leading both the Golden Boot and Playmaker charts with 27 goals and 18 assists from 32 appearances.

His latest contribution – an assist for Luis Díaz in the win over West Ham United – was his 45th of the season, setting a new record for a 38-game Premier League campaign.

While Erling Haaland’s single-season goal record of 36 may be just out of reach with six games left, Salah needs only two more assists to match Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s joint record for the most in a single season.

He also remains on course to claim the Golden Boot for a record-equalling fourth time.

Salah has been ever-present in the league, starting all 32 matches and playing over 80 minutes in all but one.

Salah remains on course to claim the Golden Boot for a record-equalling fourth time

He has also featured in nine of Liverpool’s 10 Champions League matches, the League Cup final, and both legs of the semi-final.

Why Salah Will be Unavailable For a Portion of Next Season

Despite his consistency and durability, Salah will be unavailable for a portion of next season due to external commitments.

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to take place mid-season, having been rescheduled from summer 2025 due to FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup in the United States.

Adding to the scheduling complexity are the two additional Champions League matchdays in late January, which further congest the calendar.

AFCON 2025 is now set for December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, in Morocco – meaning it will overlap with the Premier League’s busiest period, including the entire festive schedule.

Salah is expected to captain Egypt at AFCON 2025

Salah is expected to captain Egypt at the tournament, where the Pharaohs will face Zimbabwe (Dec 22), South Africa (Boxing Day), and Angola (Dec 29) in Group B.

Should they progress, the round-of-16 is slated for January 3–6, quarter-finals on January 9–10, semi-finals on January 14, and the final in Rabat on January 18.

The 2025/26 Premier League season will kick off on August 16, 2025, and conclude on May 24, 2026, with no fixture on Christmas Eve.

However, the full fixture list will only be revealed on June 18, making it unclear exactly how many games players like Salah will miss.

If this season’s schedule is used as a reference, AFCON would have clashed with as many as eight Liverpool matches, including six Premier League games.

This is a noticeable increase from AFCON 2023, where Liverpool played just four league matches during the tournament window.

In that edition, Egypt were eliminated in the round of 16 on January 28, and if not for a hamstring injury, Salah would have missed just one league game.

However, he did sit out the League Cup semi-final first leg against Fulham on January 10.

Looking ahead to next season, AFCON could potentially see Salah miss up to 10 matches – including the preceding League Cup quarter-final (e.g., December 18 vs. Southampton).

Players could also be absent for the seventh Champions League group match on January 20–21, 2026, depending on their nation’s progress.

Though Liverpool may not necessarily reach the League Cup semi-finals again, the FA Cup third round – falling within AFCON’s timeline – could be another fixture missed, even though Salah is typically rested for such games.

What’s clear is that AFCON 2025’s timing will impact Premier League clubs more than ever.

With at least three matchweeks overlapping with the group stage alone, key players will be missing during a pivotal stretch of the season.

For Arne Slot, this represents a major challenge. Salah has been a near-constant presence this season, and losing him, even temporarily, will be a dramatic shift.

The Dutchman must find a reliable alternative for the Egyptian talisman ahead of the January transfer window, or risk a dip in form during one of the campaign’s most critical periods.