Mo Salah divides Liverpool fans with his striking new appearance.

For the most part of his tenure at Liverpool, Mohamed Salah has maintained a recognised appearance, but the Egyptian has shocked fans by shaving off his afro.

After the season, Mohamed Salah changed drastically, and Liverpool supporters are taking some time to adjust to his new appearance. Salah, 31, had his signature afro hair cropped during the first week of summer. Since moving to Anfield from Roma in 2017, the Egyptian has established himself as a legend, and his unusual hairstyle makes him instantly recognised.

Arne Slot will take over as manager of Liverpool this summer, succeeding Jurgen Klopp. Last weekend, Klopp oversaw his last game as the Reds’ manager. Slot, who most recently led Feyenoord, will take over as manager for the upcoming 2024–25 season.

And Salah’s deviation from the usual has created quite a stir on social media, suggesting that Klopp’s exit is not the only significant shift on Merseyside.

Fans responded to Salah’s Instagram photo with different opinions over the new appearance, with some suggesting that new boss Slot may have had some impact.

One commenter retorted, “Arne Slot influence is actually crazy,” while another said, “New era he gonna cook under Arne Slot.” The third person said, “Klopp left and bro went insane.”

“You’re fully committed to the Arne Slot era with this trim,” commented a second follower. “Nooooo the legendary haircut is gone,” wrote a fifth.

“Is this some sort of plan to gain an extra yard of pace by decreasing your air resistance or something?” said a different Liverpool supporter.

With Klopp’s departure in recent months, Salah’s future has become questionable. With one year remaining on his deal, the former winger for Chelsea and Roma has been linked to a move abroad.

Salah should have a say over his future, according to former Liverpool defender Vladimir Smicer, given his track record of scoring goals and his accomplishments on Merseyside. Salah reached over 200 goals while wearing a Liverpool shirt this season, scoring 25 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions.

“It’s a very tough situation with Mohamed Salah; he may be getting older, but he’s still Liverpool’s best striker, breaking records and scoring a tonne of goals,” Smicer said to OLBG. Naturally, the selection of the next manager will be difficult, but given what he has accomplished for Liverpool, he truly deserves a great deal of respect. I would give him the freedom to choose his summertime activities. Don’t ever make him leave Anfield.

“It’s important to see what his plans are as he has one more year left on his contract. Based on his physical appearance, he appears capable of working for three or four more years.” Just take a look at Ronaldo—he’s 39 years old and still going strong. Salah could follow suit.