Egypt's U-23 coach Shawky Gharib announced that Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah and Ahly's goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawi will join the young Pharaohs' preliminary squad for the 2021 Olympic Games. Olympics regulations for football tournaments state that each team is allowed to include three over-age players, while the rest of the players must be under 23 years of age. The young Pharaohs booked their place in the Olympic Games after winning the U-23 Nations Cup on home soil in November last year. “Egypt U-23 team's preliminary squad will be led by Mohamed Salah and Mohamed El-Shennawi alongside another goalkeeper,” Gharib told a television programme late on Sunday. The 28-year-old Salah has performed superbly since joining Liverpool in the 2017 season, achieving great results with the Reds, as well as helping the team win two long-elusive titles: The Champions League in the 2018-2019 season and the Premier League in the 2019-2020 season. “Salah is currently one of the most important players in the world and it's normal to call him for Egypt's Olympic squad,” “We will start the official talks with Liverpool after the international break next March,” Gharib said. Meanwhile, Ahly's veteran keeper El-Shennawi, helped his team claim the triple trophies last season, winning the Egyptian Premier League title, Egypt Cup and African Champions League title. The 32-year-old goalkeeper also played an influential role in Ahly squad that took part in the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup as the Reds claimed the prestigious tournament's bronze medal. The Olympic Games are scheduled for late July 2021 after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. span style="font-size:11.5pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333"(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
