Dominik Szoboszlai responds to speculation over Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future after talking 'almost every day' with Egypt star while he was at AFCON

Szoboszlai has offered a glimpse into his close relationship with Salah but stopped short of providing any clarity on the Egyptian’s fractious relationship with Liverpool manager Slot. Salah, 33, recently sent shockwaves through Anfield with an explosive interview in which he claimed his relationship with the Dutch coach had "broken down". The comments have cast a long shadow over the club, fuelling intense speculation that the forward’s time on Merseyside is drawing to a close.

Despite the outside noise, Szoboszlai confirmed that his personal bond with Salah remains as strong as ever. The Hungarian midfielder revealed that the two were in near-constant communication while Salah was away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. 

"Yes, to be honest, almost every day," Szoboszlai said when asked about the frequency of their contact since Salah departed on 15 December. "We speak about everything. I'm following him, I guess he is following me. We talk a lot."

However, when pressed for insight into whether Salah will remain a Liverpool player or how the internal conflict is being resolved, the 25-year-old remained diplomatic. "That's between me and him," he stated firmly regarding their private conversations. "He will come back and then we keep on going. It's the decision between the manager and the club." It remains to be confirmed on Tuesday whether Salah will be included in the travelling squad for the crucial Champions League tie against Marseille, though he did train with his team-mates.

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While the off-field drama dominates the headlines, Liverpool’s on-pitch performances have underscored just how vital Salah remains to their sporting ambitions. Slot stated last week that he is "happy" to welcome the winger back into the fold, and Saturday’s frustrating draw against Burnley provided a stark illustration of why. Despite dominating proceedings with 32 shots, the Reds could only find the net once, lacking the clinical edge that Salah has provided for nearly a decade.

Szoboszlai, who missed a penalty during the match, tried to take positives from the performance despite the dropped points. "That's the first time we have played really well against a low block and created a lot of chances," the midfielder noted. "We had loads of guys in the box, we had crosses and shots. That is what we have to aim for against Marseille."

However, he acknowledged that the midweek European challenge will pose a different tactical question. "They don't have a low block - they try to play from the back and we have to be ready for this too," he added. 

It has been a testing period individually for Szoboszlai, who admitted to enduring a "tough week" following a high-profile error in the FA Cup. During the tie against Barnsley, the Hungarian attempted an audacious back-heel deep inside his own penalty area, a mistake that gifted a goal to the opposition. Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane subsequently accused Szoboszlai of being "disrespectful," suggesting he would never have attempted such a trick against a top-tier opponent.

Szoboszlai vehemently denied the accusation, insisting his style of play does not change based on the calibre of the opposition. "Personally, it's been a tough week," he confessed. "I made a mistake against Barnsley but I have to make it clear it wasn't disrespectful and I would do the same against Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea."

Explaining the mechanics of the error, he added: "I didn't want to give it back to Giorgi [Mamardashvili]. I tried to pretend I was playing it back."

The "tough week" was compounded by his penalty miss against Burnley - his second failure from the spot in 22 career attempts. Despite striking the crossbar, Szoboszlai remains confident in his ability to deputise, though he readily admits he will step aside the moment Salah returns to the pitch.

"The next one is in," he insisted defiantly. "If he [Salah] comes back, he is the first penalty taker. He will give me some advice on what to think about when you miss as he's missed a couple of times but he forgets what has happened."

Amidst the scrutiny of his form, Szoboszlai also dropped a significant update regarding his long-term future at Anfield. He revealed that talks are currently ongoing over a new contract, despite his current deal running until 2028.