Mohamed Salah Debut Delayed by Work Permit Issues

Despite joining up with his new teammates in time to get up to speed ahead of tomorrow’s first pre-season friendly against Tranmere Rovers, Mohammed Salah will be unable to make his first appearance for Liverpool as and will need to leave the country to activate his work permit.

An appearance on Friday against Wigan Athletic is possible, though it is more likely the 25-year-old Egypt star and former Chelsea and Roma winger will now make his Liverpool pre-season debut against Crystal Palace on Wednesday the 19th in Hong Kong.

“Mo Salah is here in training but cannot play because of the rules, so that’s what we have to accept,” said manager Jürgen Klopp today. “We will try to get the permission or the visa. We have to go to Paris and leave him there for a day or two and then he’ll come back.”

The issue is based on little more than a technicality, as Salah arrived in England for pre-season before he had secured his work permit and, having now secured it, he needs to re-enter the country—after a minimum absence—in order to be eligible to play in England.

For fans, that means having to wait a little longer to see Salah play. And for the player, while it means a brief interruption to pre-season, at least he’ll get a brief trip to Paris out of it as he waits until he can re-enter the country and activate the permit.