Former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has offered an explosive behind-the-scenes look at Mohamed Salah’s summer departure, revealing that the Egyptian superstar and ex-Reds boss Arne Slot “didn’t have a good relationship.” In a candid interview, the Croatian centre-back also insisted that Jürgen Klopp’s premature exit from Anfield was a mistake that ultimately destabilized the club’s golden era.
“I know Mo very well,” Lovren told reporters. “He’s a winner, he demands the best from everyone around him. But with Slot? There was never that spark. I saw it in training, I heard it in the dressing room. They just didn’t click. Mo felt he wasn’t being used right, and Slot thought Mo was too focused on individual glory. That tension had been building for months.”
Lovren, who won the Premier League and Champions League alongside Salah at Liverpool, didn’t hold back when discussing Klopp’s departure in 2024. “Jürgen was the heart of this team. He understood every player, knew when to push and when to hug. If he had stayed, Mo would still be at Liverpool, no question. The board made a huge mistake letting him go. You don’t replace that kind of leader easily – and they’re still paying for it.”
The 32-year-old’s remarks come as Salah prepares to face his former club in next week’s Champions League clash. Since moving to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, Salah has scored 12 goals in 18 appearances, but Lovren warns that his former teammate’s relationship with Slot was irreparable. “It’s a shame because Mo could have broken every record at Liverpool. But the damage was done. Klopp was the glue, and once he left, everything started to fall apart.”
Liverpool’s management has declined to comment on Lovren’s claims, but sources close to the dressing room suggest that Slot’s tactical rigidity and Salah’s desire for greater creative freedom created a toxic undercurrent. With the Reds currently sitting third in the Premier League, many fans will wonder what might have been – if only the German titan had stayed.