Mohamed Salah provides injury update as Liverpool's Carabao Cup final against Chelsea edges closer
Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah has provided a positive injury update ahead of his team's 2023-24 EFL Cup final against his former club Chelsea at the Wembley Stadium on February 25.
Earlier last month, the left-footed superstar succumbed to a hamstring injury while representing Egypt in a 2-2 draw against Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations 2024. He returned to his club soon after and has been working on his rehabilitation in the past couple of weeks.
On Monday (February 5), Salah shared an image of him stretching both of his legs at his home gymnasium. He posted on his Instagram story:
Since leaving for Africa Cup of Nations duty in the first week of January, the former Chelsea winger has missed a total of seven outings for the Reds. The 31-year-old last played for Jurgen Klopp's outfit in a thrilling 4-2 Premier League victory against visitors Newcastle United.
Salah, whose current contract is set to expire next June, could return to Liverpool's matchday squad in their league encounter against Burnley this Saturday (February 10). He is likely to be fit in time to face Chelsea in his side's EFL Cup summit clash later this February.
So far this season, the 96-cap Egypt international has found the back of the net 18 times in 27 matches, including 23 starts, across competitions for Liverpool. He has also provided nine assists in 2,045 minutes.
Liverpool identify two stars as replacement for former Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool have earmarked two Barcelona forwards as apt options to replace Mohamed Salah in the near future. They are said to be keeping close tabs on Raphinha and Ansu Fati, who is out on a season-long loan move at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Raphinha, who was reportedly on Chelsea's transfer radar in the summer of 2022, joined Barcelona from Leeds United in potential £55 million move. The 27-year-old has registered 14 goals and 19 assists in 70 appearances across competitions for Xavi Hernandez's side.
Fati, on the other hand, has struggled to cement a first-team place at Brighton due to a lengthy calf injury this season. The 21-year-old has scored four goals and laid out one assist in 15 outings, including just seven starts, across all competitions for the Seagulls so far.
Meanwhile, Salah has contributed 204 goals and 88 assists in 332 overall matches for Liverpool since arriving in 2017. He is currently averaging a goal contribution at a brilliant rate of every 93 minutes of action.