Arne Slot: 'I am not the one who made Salah leave'

Arne Slot stated that he does not regret his handling of Mohamed Salah, while emphasizing that the decision to leave Liverpool was a personal choice of the Egyptian star.

Coach Arne Slot has officially addressed the controversies surrounding Mohamed Salah's departure from Liverpool at the end of the season, asserting that he has no regrets about how he handled the situation and that he was not the one who made the decision to part ways.

In his latest press conference, Arne Slot declined to delve into the specific reasons for Salah's choice to leave Anfield, stating that this is a personal story that only the Egyptian player himself can clearly explain. However, the Dutch strategist also candidly admitted that he understands why some fans view him as the "villain" in this narrative.

“Perhaps that is how people are perceiving it at this moment,” Slot said about his image. Nevertheless, he emphasized that he has not changed any decisions regarding his treatment of Salah throughout their time working together.

“I am satisfied with how I handled it. When reflecting on the season, there might be decisions I could have made better, but not in this case. I do not regret what I did with Salah,” he affirmed.

Regarding opinions suggesting that rotating the lineup, especially during the period Salah was benched in December, contributed to the deterioration of their relationship, Arne Slot completely dismissed this. He cited that in the past, even when not playing regularly under Jurgen Klopp, Salah continued to stay and performed explosively.

Slot argued: “If wanting to leave just because of not playing a few matches, he would have done that long ago. That is merely speculation. The reality shows that Salah has overcome such phases and still played an excellent season.”

Regarding the decision to part ways, Liverpool's coach affirmed that the choice entirely belongs to the player: “Salah deserves the right to decide his own future. He has contributed immensely to the club, and this is a personal decision.”

Arne Slot's statements somewhat clarify the picture behind the departure considered one of the biggest at Anfield in many years. Despite many rumors, what is certain is that Salah will leave Liverpool as a legend, and Slot does not want to be seen as the main cause leading to this outcome.