Mohamed Salah heads to AFCON as tensions simmer at Liverpool following Egypt's squad reveal

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan confirmed Salah's inclusion on Thursday after announcing his 28-man squad for the tournament, which kicks off on December 21.

The 33-year-old winger will miss at least two Premier League matches for Liverpool during the group stages, Flashscore reported.

Salah has been at the centre of a media storm following comments he made after Liverpool's recent Premier League draw with Leeds United, where he suggested he had been made a scapegoat for the club's poor form and admitted that his relationship with manager Arne Slot had deteriorated.

The club talisman was an unused substitute against Leeds, having also been benched in the league clash with West Ham United last month.

He was then omitted entirely from the squad for Liverpool's midweek 1-0 UEFA Champions League win over Inter Milan, further fuelling speculation over his standing at Anfield.

Salah will, however, still be available for Liverpool's Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday after FIFA ruled that players only need to report for international duty a week before the start of the AFCON finals.

Liverpool will face Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers while Egypt are in group-stage action.

Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush has also been named in Hassan's squad, alongside former Aston Villa winger and current Al-Ahly star Mahmoud Trezeguet.

Seven-time champions Egypt will open their AFCON campaign against Zimbabwe on December 22, before facing South Africa on December 26 and concluding their group-stage fixtures against Angola on December 29.

Egypt squad

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly), Ahmed El-Shenawy (Pyramids), Mostafa Shobeir (Al-Ahly), Mohamed Sobhi (Zamalek)

Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al-Ahly), Ahmed Eid (El-Masry), Rami Rabia (Al-Ain), Khaled Sobhi (El-Masry), Yasser Ibrahim (Al-Ahly), Mohamed Ismail (Zamalek), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Hamdy (Pyramids), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek)

Midfielders: Marwan Ateya (Al-Ahly), Hamdy Fathy (Al-Wakrah), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Mohamed Shehata (Zamalek), Emam Ashour (Al-Ahly), Ahmed Zizo (Al-Ahly), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al-Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Al-Jazira), Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids), Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Forwards: Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes), Salah Mohsen (El-Masry), Osama Faisal (National Bank of Egypt)