Liverpool "completely refused" Mo Salah’s request to star in Tokyo Olympics

Liverpool have dashed Mohamed Salah and Egypt’s hopes of the forward representing his country at the Tokyo Olympics this summer.

The Reds had already refused the player’s request earlier in June and have now made it clear that Salah will stay in England this summer ahead of the new season.

The Olympics football competition is set to finish on August 7, only seven day prior to Liverpool’s opening Premier League match at Norwich City which raised fears about Salah potentially being hit with fatigue.

Clubs are allowed to prevent players from Olympics duty as the games are not featured on the FIFA calendar, though Salah and Egypt’s FA remain massively disappointed.

Egypt coach Shawky Gharib said: "I tried many, many times with Liverpool, as did the Egypt FA, to persuade them to let Salah be a part of the Olympic team but they refused completely.

"Mohamed wanted to play the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. He talked with me, I did my best to bring him. Salah was a key player in my Olympic plans. But the club refused – we need to move on.”

Speaking to BBC Sport Africa, Egypt FA President Ahmed Megahed added: "We started talking with them a long time ago because Salah wanted to play the Olympic Games, but Liverpool were unclear.

"I knew in June they would not let him go. Anyway we respect their decision."

Do you think Salah will remain at Liverpool beyond next season? Let us know in the comments section.

Egypt will also be without star striker Mostafa Mohamed after his club side Galatasaray followed Liverpool’s example by not permitting the player to take part in the Olympics.

Gharib now faces a double blow in being without two key players, while African rivals Ivory Coast have been allowed by Manchester United to take Eric Bailly and Amad Diallo to Japan.

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