Liverpool strengthen Salah, Mane & Keita as AFCON faces cancellation – Liverpool FC

Liverpool will get a big boost in remaining available Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita, with the Africa Cup of Nations rumored to be cancelled.

The prospect of a mid-season tournament in Cameroon has threatened to damage the Reds’ momentum, with the loss of Salah and especially Mane a huge shock.

Liverpool have lost a key striker, who has contributed 30 goals and 10 assists this season, along with their No. 8 in at least three games between January 9 and February 6.

That would rule them out because of the clash with Shrewsbury, Brentford and Crystal Palace, but the club also faces the possibility of them missing meetings with Leicester and Chelsea around the new year.

However, it has now been widely reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will announce the postponement of the tournament indefinitely.

Liverpool journalist David Lynch, with a quote from Egyptian reporter Ismael Mahmoud, write confirmed that it is “due soon”, with “ongoing discussions about possible compensation to host country Cameroon.”

Lynch added: “The European Clubs Association has written a letter to FIFA expressing concern about the health of the players scheduled to compete at the tournament.

“CAF [are] under great pressure and delay is currently looking for the safest option. ”

This according to a report from the French store RMC Sport it goes the same, also note that unvaccinated players returning to the UK will be required to be quarantined, missing out on further matches.

However, sources within the CAF still insist that these claims are “fake news”, although the complexity of the compensation arrangement with Cameroon may have prompted this stance.

Mahmoud stated that the CAF is in talks with current Cameroon Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o, and there is also a possibility that the tournament will take place without players living in Europe.

Either way, this will benefit Liverpool as they will then see Salah, Mane and Keita not need to travel – although whether the players themselves object to this remains to be seen.

It’s a story that is likely to develop further throughout Wednesday, and certainly worth keeping an eye on.