Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah will be called up to represent Egypt for March's international break if he returns to action for the Reds before the hiatus.
Jurgen Klopp's side have requested that the Egyptian FA omit the 31-year-old from their upcoming selection as he works his way back from his second muscular injury of the year.
Salah's Africa Cup of Nations campaign with the Pharaohs ended prematurely after he hurt himself during the group stage, and he immediately flew back to Liverpool to undergo treatment.
The former Chelsea and Roma man would have returned for the latter stages of the tournament had he made a full recovery, but Egypt lost to DR Congo on penalties in the last 16 without him.
Salah made his domestic comeback off the bench in a 4-1 Premier League beating of Brentford on February 17, providing a goal and assist at the Gtech Community Stadium, although Klopp was forced to bring him on earlier than intended due to Diogo Jota's knee injury.
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After the game, Egyptian media reported that the winger had suffered a recurrence of his thigh problem, and true enough, he has been unavailable for the Reds' last four matches across all tournaments.
Salah is on the verge of a comeback, though, and the 31-year-old is expected to return to training at some point this week ahead of a possible comeback in the weekend's crunch Premier League clash with Manchester City.
However, should the attacker indeed face the treble winners on March 10, or play against Sparta Prague (March 14) or Manchester United (March 17), Egyptian FA board member Ehab El-Komy has affirmed that Salah will be summoned for international duty.
"The coaching staff, the Football Association, and the Egyptian fans are all keen on Salah's safety," KingFut quotes El-Komy as saying. "If he is not 100% ready, the national team coaching staff will be even more cautious about his presence in the upcoming camp.
"We have two weeks ahead of us and his recovery may be complete. If Mohamed Salah is ready, we will be keen on his presence. Otherwise, a different talk will be held at the appropriate time.
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"Even up to the date of the international agenda, if Salah plays in any match with Liverpool, he will be ready and we will call him up to join the Egyptian national team. We want things to be calm, especially since Hossam Hassan wants all players to be present for Egypt's strong start under his leadership."
Egypt will play two fixtures at the inaugural edition of the WinsUnited Cup this month, taking on New Zealand on March 22 and either Croatia or Tunisia on March 25 or 26.
Salah is one of 10 Liverpool players occupying a bed in the treatment room, which also holds Jota, Curtis Jones, Joel Matip, Ben Doak, Stefan Bajcetic, Alisson Becker, Thiago Alcantara, Ryan Gravenberch and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The 31-year-old should be the first member of that double-figure list to exit the infirmary, although Thursday's Europa League last-16 first leg with Sparta is expected to come too soon.
Despite his fitness concerns in 2024, Salah has enjoyed another prolific season in Liverpool colours with 19 goals and 10 assists from 28 games in all tournaments, netting 15 times in 21 Premier League matches.
Ben Knapton
