Egyptian soccer star Salah may quit team if Israeli player joins

The Egyptian soccer player refused to shake hands with Israeli players in the past, despite being a favorite of former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

By HAGAY HACOHEN
Updated: DECEMBER 25, 2018 17:32
Egyptian soccer star playing for Liverpool, Mohamed Salah (photo credit: PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS)
Egyptian soccer star playing for Liverpool, Mohamed Salah
(photo credit: PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS)
Egyptian super-star Mohamed Salah has allegedly threatened to leave Premier League football club Liverpool if Arab-Israeli soccer player Moanes Dabour joins the team, Israeli media reported.
According the report, Salah said that he will leave Liverpool should Dabour be signed.
However, people close to the Egyptian athlete said he needs to be left alone to focus on playing soccer and that he is a professional, and it is not his concern with whom Liverpool is discussing a possible contract.
In the past Salah, refused to shake hands with Israeli players with the pretext of tying his shoes during a game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and FC Basel, his team at the time.
Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman tweeted in April, in jest, that he would recruit Salah to the Israeli army after seeing how he led Liverpool to a 5-2 victory over Roma.