Egypt U23s boss Shawky Gharib has revealed that Liverpool were open to the idea of releasing Mohamed Salah for the Olympics had this year's Africa Cup of Nations been postponed.
The Pharaohs were keen to name Salah as one of three over-age players in an U23 squad to compete in this summer's Games in Tokyo.
However, Liverpool chose to exercise their right to block the 29-year-old from participating in non-FIFA-sanctioned international tournaments.
The Reds already stand to lose their star man to the Egypt senior team when they feature in the Africa Cup of Nations in January and were keen to avoid another absence.
But it has now been revealed that, had the AFCON been pushed back another year due to coronavirus, Salah may well have been allowed to head to the Olympics.
“Salah wanted to participate in the Olympics, we were having informal contacts with him, but the negotiations stopped because of the AFCON," Gharib said On Sport FM.
"If it had been postponed, Salah would have played with us.
“Liverpool clarified for the Egyptian Football Association when Salah will be available."
Should it go ahead as hoped, this year's AFCON will take place in Cameroon between January 9 and February 6.
Were Egypt to reach the final, Salah would likely miss home games against Brentford and Leicester either side of a trip to Crystal Palace.
Ahmed Megahed, chairman of the Egypt FA, claims Salah wanted to play at the games.
He said: "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."
