London, 23 January 2024 (PA Media/dpa/MIA) - Mohamed Salah's muscle injury is "more serious than first thought" and could keep the Liverpool forward out of action for nearly a month, according to his agent.

On Sunday, Liverpool announced the 31-year-old would be returning from the Ivory Coast, where he was representing Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations, to undergo treatment with the aim of returning to the Pharaohs if they progressed to the knockout stages of the competition.

That optimistic plan, at least according to Ramy Abbas Issa, now looks to have suffered a significant setback.

Posting to his personal account on X (formerly Twitter), the agent wrote: "Mohamed's injury is more serious than first thought and he will be out for 21-28 days, and not two games."

"His best chance at participating in the current AFCON is by undergoing intensive rehabilitation in the UK and rejoining the team as soon as he is fit."

Liverpool later revealed Salah, who was in the stands for Egypt's 2-2 draw with Cape Verde which saw them make the last 16, will be back on Merseyside on Wednesday.

The club say they will give him the best chance possible to return for the latter stages of the AFCON should Egypt make further progress.

"Mohamed Salah will return to the AXA Training Centre on Wednesday to begin an intensive rehabilitation programme with Liverpool's medical team on the muscle injury he sustained with Egypt last week," read a statement on the club website.

"The injury, which is worse than first feared, forced the forward from the field in the first half of the Africa Cup of Nations fixture with Ghana and an agreement has been reached with the Egyptian FA for Salah to undergo treatment in Liverpool."

"Salah will immediately begin work with the club's medical staff upon his return to Merseyside with a view to being back in action as soon as possible for club and country, giving him the best chance to return to compete at AFCON if Egypt, who qualified for the knockout stage with a 2-2 draw against Cape Verde tonight, continue to advance in the tournament."

Premier League leaders Liverpool initially struggled to create in the absence of their talisman during Sunday's game at Bournemouth, but moved five points clear at the top thanks to a crushing 4-0 win earned by second-half doubles from Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota.

Speaking after the victory at the Vitality Stadium, Reds boss Jürgen Klopp said it "makes sense" for Salah to fly back to Merseyside from the tournament.

"That's the plan," the German said before the news was confirmed. "If that's already decided 100 per cent, I don't know. But that's the plan."

"However long he's out, probably everybody sees it like this, it makes sense that he's doing the rehab with us or with our people. If that's written in stone already, I don't know."

"I spoke with him directly after, the night when it happened. Since then he's in contact with our doctor. I think he will be back."

Photo: EPA