Salah’s frustration points to deeper doubts inside Liverpool

December 20, 2025 Oliver Obel

Salah featured from the bench in the 2-0 victory on the south coast, setting up a goal after his introduction. It was his first involvement following a spell in which he had fallen out of the starting lineup, including four straight Premier League matches without a start.

Earlier this month, after a 3-3 draw with Leeds United, Salah publicly acknowledged a breakdown in his relationship with head coach Arne Slot. That situation has since been addressed behind the scenes, but British media reports indicate it was one symptom of a wider sense of unease rather than the root cause.

Questions over the club’s direction

Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele has reported that Salah’s frustrations also relate to Liverpool’s summer recruitment and the way the club has framed its future.

According to Steele, Salah was not fully aligned with the emphasis placed on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak as the figures expected to lead the next phase of the team a symbolic shift that can be sensitive for a player who has defined an era.

One episode often referenced in that context came during an away match in Frankfurt. Steele noted that Salah, introduced late, appeared frustrated after a missed opportunity to combine with Wirtz. Later that evening, he removed references to Liverpool from his social media profiles, a move widely interpreted as a reflection of longer-building frustration rather than a single incident.

A widening performance gap

The backdrop to those tensions is a clear contrast in output. Last season, Salah was Liverpool’s decisive figure, finishing with 29 goals and 18 assists as the club won the league. This campaign has been more subdued, with four goals and three assists from 14 league appearances.

The players brought in to share the attacking responsibility have yet to match his impact. Isak has scored once in nine Premier League matches, while Wirtz has managed a single assist in 15 league games and remains without a goal in 21 appearances across all competitions.

Recruitment plans continue

Despite already having significant attacking depth, Liverpool appear unlikely to stand still in the market. GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Fabrizio Romano has reported that the club remain interested in Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo ahead of the January transfer window.

Semenyo’s £65 million release clause could allow a deal to move quickly if Liverpool decide to act. Such a move would also reunite him with Milos Kerkez, who joined Liverpool from Bournemouth earlier this year.

For Salah, the reporting suggests the issue is not about one manager or one run of games, but about how he fits into a club preparing for a future in which its long-serving talisman may no longer be the central reference point.

Sources: Daily Mail, GIVEMESPORT, Reuters