By Ben Crawford Cameron Winstanley Joseph McBride
Mohamed Salah is due to return to the UK on Friday , cutting his holiday short following the tragic death of his Liverpool team-mate Diogo Jota . Reports from Egypt suggest that Salah will be returning to Liverpool earlier than planned, with a number of players expected to report for pre-season training on Tuesday, 8 July. Several Reds stars are predicted to return to Merseyside over the weekend as the football community continues to grieve the loss of Jota . The Portuguese forward and his younger brother, Andre Silva, were tragically killed in a car accident on Thursday morning in Zamora, Spain . It’s understood that Jota was travelling to Santander to board a ferry back to England, following medical advice not to fly after lung surgery. Salah, who has been posting regular holiday photos on his Instagram account, has reportedly been spending time in Bodrum, Turkey, according to Turkiye Today. The Egyptian ace has also visited Mombasa, Kenya, and Mykonos, Greece, but will now head back to the UK to start preparing for the upcoming season early, as reported by Yallakora. Liverpool players will soon begin their return to pre-season as they look to defend the Premier League in their team-mates’ memory. Salah, who signed a new contract at the end of last season to remain at Anfield, played 150 times alongside Jota. While tributes have been flooding in for Jota, Salah has, understandably, chosen to remain quiet on his colleague’s passing for the time being. Meanwhile, Darwin Nunez, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, and Caoimhin Kelleher have all posted touching messages of condolence. Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot and the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, also issued a poignant statement via the club’s official website to pay their respects. Nunez took to Instagram to share an emotional message: “There are no words of comfort for so much pain. I will always remember you with your smile, as a good companion on and off the field. “I send all my strength to his family, from where he is I’m sure he will always be with you, especially his wife and three children. May Diogo and Andre rest in peace.” Trent Alexander-Arnold, who played with Jota before moving to Real Madrid , expressed his grief: “It’s so difficult to find the right words when your head and heart are struggling to accept that someone you care so much about has gone. “Diogo, your family was your world. They were everything. For Rute, his children, and his parents, all of our hearts are broken. And for Andre as well. Brothers and best friends. “When it’s less painful, I want to remember Diogo with a big smile. So many laughs and happy moments. He was such a great team-mate and a true friend. Forever number 20. Rest in peace, Diogo.”