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ANALYSIS: LIVERPOOL 'OPEN TO OPTIONS' FOR UNHAPPY MO SALAH FOLLOWING PUBLIC CRITICISM OF SLOT

After an explosive interview, Salah admits he doesn't know what comes next, hinting at an Anfield farewell before AFCON amid Al-Hilal transfer speculation.

Analysis: Liverpool 'Open To Options' For Unhappy Mo Salah Following Public Criticism of Slot
Will Salah Reunite With Nunez At Al-Hilal After Slot Relationship Breaks?

After Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Leeds United, reports say Liverpool might sell Mohamed Salah, and he could team up with Darwin Nunez again at Al-Hilal. This comes after Salah's outspoken interview at Elland Road. He was an unused substitute in two of Liverpool's last three games.

Salah stirred things up by hinting he'll leave in January if Arne Slot stays as manager. The 33-year-old feels thrown under the bus by Slot and the club, saying their relationship is broken.

BBC Sport says people close to the situation think Salah was serious and the relationship is really damaged. They add that Salah doesn't see a future at Anfield with Slot still in charge.

Liverpool is reportedly open to all options as January approaches. Simone Inzaghi's Al-Hilal is one club from the Saudi Pro League that is interested, but there haven't been any real talks yet since Salah has the African Cup of Nations with Egypt coming up. He's off to the tournament after Saturday's game against Brighton at Anfield.

Al-Hilal, the Saudi league leaders, already signed Nunez from Liverpool this summer for £46 million, which could rise to £66 million. It's not clear how much Liverpool would want for Salah, who earns £400,000 a week, but his interview might have weakened their position.

Salah said, "I will always support this club." My kids will always support it. I love the club so much. The situation is not acceptable to me. I don't get it.

I don't think I'm the problem. I have done so much for this club. I told my family to come to the Brighton game. I don't know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it. I'm going to enjoy that game because I don't know what is going to happen now.

I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to the Africa Cup of Nations. I don't know what is going to happen when I am there.

When asked about a possible Saudi transfer in the winter, Salah replied, "I don't want to answer this question, because the club is going to take me in a different direction."

I cannot say it is impossible to fix the situation, but I have done so much for the club. I love the fans and the club so much, but I don't know what is going to happen next.

Slot will likely face questions about this at his press conference on Monday. Liverpool plays Inter Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday, and it's uncertain if Salah will even travel with the team to Italy for a game they really need to win.

WHY DID JEREMY JACQUET SNUB CHELSEA FOR LIVERPOOL? THE SECRET VIRGIL CONNECTION

Liverpool secure Jeremy Jacquet in a £60m Deadline Day coup. The 20-year-old chose Anfield over Chelsea for a summer move.

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Liverpool scouted Jeremy Jacquet in secret before the huge £60m bid

Liverpool turned heads on Transfer Deadline Day when Arne Slot jumped into the mix and snapped up one of Europe’s brightest young talents.

The Reds dropped £55 million up front—plus another potential £5 million in add-ons—to bring in Jeremy Jacquet. He’ll link up with his new teammates this summer. Chelsea hovered around the deal too, but Jacquet chose Liverpool over the Blues.

French football pundit Julian Laurens isn’t shy about his excitement. He told Sky Sports, “He’s the real deal. Sure, he’s only 20. He hasn’t played for France yet, and you won’t find him in the Champions League or Europa League. But he’s already shown so much. Last season, Rennes brought him back from a second division loan, and this year, playing under Habib Beye, he’s just kept improving. You can’t miss with this kid. He’s going to be special.

“He reminds me of when William Saliba broke through at Saint-Etienne, or even Wesley Fofana. The point is, if you really value untapped talent, you’re willing to pay big. And Liverpool just did—because Jacquet’s that promising.”

Jacquet grew up in Bondy, the same Paris suburb that produced Kylian Mbappe, William Saliba, and Randal Kolo Muani. It’s up in Seine-Saint-Denis, northeast of central Paris.

His football education, though, happened at Rennes out in Brittany. He came up through their academy, playing alongside guys like Desire Doue—who won the Champions League with PSG—and Tottenham’s Mathys Tel.

Back then, Jacquet idolised Paul Pogba, but once they moved him to centre-back, he started looking up to Virgil van Dijk.

He made his first-team debut for Rennes in January 2024, then went on loan to Clermont Foot 63, who were fighting relegation in Ligue 1. Even after they went down, Rennes kept him out on loan because he did so well with the French U19 squad.

But in February 2025, Rennes called him back, and he’s been a regular for Habib Beye ever since.

Asked about his playing style, Jacquet said, “I’m calm on the ball—maybe I look a little nonchalant, but I’m always focused. What makes me stand out is playing out from the back and breaking lines with the right pass.”

JEREMY JACQUET UPDATE: FABRIZIO ROMANO CONFIRMS LIVERPOOL INTEREST BUT RENNES DEMAND CLUB-RECORD FEE

Liverpool is battling Chelsea and Bayern Munich for Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet as Arne Slot faces a mounting injury crisis.

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Liverpool is in advanced talks for Jeremy Jacquet, but Rennes hold out for the summer

Liverpool really wants to sign Jeremy Jacquet this month, but with Chelsea, Man United, and Arsenal also circling, it looks like they’ll have to wait until summer.

They just locked in a spot in the Champions League last 16 after cruising past Qarabag FK, so things are looking good on that front. This season, they’ve already faced a couple of those big clubs—snatching a last-gasp win over Atletico thanks to Van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header, but coming up short with a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in Turkey.

On Wednesday, Ryan Gravenberch ended up playing centre-back because Joe Gomez is out injured, and Ibrahima Konate is still away after his father passed away. They're really stretched at the back, especially with Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni both dealing with long-term injuries. The club decided not to go after Marc Guehi this month, which let Manchester City snap him up for under £30 million.

Now, Liverpool is eyeing Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet. L’Equipe reported in January that Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, and Liverpool all want him. Fabrizio Romano gave an update, saying Liverpool would love to get the deal done now, but Rennes just don’t want to sell until summer. So, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern are all talking to Rennes and Jacquet’s people, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

With all these injuries piling up, people are wondering if Liverpool might try to bring in someone before the window closes. Arne Slot responded, saying the club always tries to make smart decisions, thinking about both the short and long term. That’s why they focus on signing young talent who can still develop—sometimes you just have to be patient and trust the process.

He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t have a massive squad packed with four right-backs, a dozen midfielders, or a handful of strikers. They need to be clever about their moves, balancing immediate needs with future plans.

As for the latest on injuries, Slot said they’ll see how Jeremie Frimpong is doing—maybe he won’t be fit for Saturday, but he could be ready soon after. With just one game a week coming up, injuries should ease up a bit, but you never know with football.

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