Salah likely to be out for longer than expected: agent

Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah could be out of action for around a month with a muscle injury, his agent Ramy Abbas Issa has warned, reported Xinhua.

The 31-year-old will return to Liverpool on Wednesday from Cote d'Ivoire after suffering the injury in Egypt's draw with Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations.

He watched Egypt's 2-2 draw with Cape Verde on Monday night, which assured them a place in the last-16 of the tournament.

Initial hopes were that after treatment in England, he could return if Egypt reached the semifinals.

However, that return looks unlikely after Abbas Issa posted on social media that "Mohamed's injury is more serious than first thought and he will be out for 21-28 days, and not two games," adding that Salah's best chance of a recovery was to undergo "intensive treatment" with Liverpool.

The Premier League leaders confirmed "Mohamed Salah will return to the AXA Training Center on Wednesday to begin an intensive ­rehabilitation program with Liverpool's ­medical team on the muscle injury he sustained with Egypt last week."

"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," informs the Liverpool website.

If Salah is out for four weeks, that would see him miss key matches such as Liverpool's league game at home to Chelsea on Jan. 31 and a visit to play Arsenal four days later.

The striker has been vital to Liverpool's current campaign, scoring 14 goals and giving eight assists in the Premier League.