Darwin Núñez has issued a light-hearted two-word apology to Mohamed Salah after playfully hijacking his Liverpool team-mate’s phone. The duo, recently crowned Premier League champions, have been in celebratory mood throughout the week.

The camaraderie between the pair was evident on social media, with Salah sharing a snapshot of his camera roll via Instagram Story on Friday. The roll was flooded with numerous selfies and images of Núñez, who had clearly seized the opportunity to indulge in some mischief while Salah’s phone was unattended. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk even made a few unexpected appearances in the background of some of the snaps.

In response to Salah’s humorous post, Núñez offered a cheeky message: “Sorry bro.” The 25-year-old forward will be hoping he won’t need to apologise for anything more serious this weekend.

With the league title already secured, Núñez could be handed an opportunity to shine against Chelsea on Sunday. Liverpool manager Arne Slot has hinted at potential squad rotation as he assesses players for the upcoming season.

“This is a moment to see where they are, also looking towards next season maybe a bit already,” said Slot. “But definitely also because they deserve to play this season.

“I don’t think these players have to prove the quality they possess, but I think they want to prove, to themselves, that they are good enough to play for us.

“I already know that they are, and probably they themselves know this as well. I don’t think they have a point to prove, but I do think they would like to play.”

Despite his talent, Núñez has started only eight Premier League matches for Liverpool this season. Reports had previously suggested his limited appearances were due to a clause in his contract, which would trigger an additional payment to former club Benfica.

However, Slot has strongly denied such claims, casting doubt on their credibility.

“Do you always believe what journalists say? Not always? Me neither,” Slot remarked. “Sometimes you should, but sometimes it’s better not to believe everything that is written about players.

“This is completely new to me, and I’ve said many times that I’m working at a club where it’s really enjoyable to work. Sporting directors are often judged by the players they bring in, but for me, having a great working relationship is just as important—and I have that with Richard [Hughes].

“The last, last, last, last, last thing he would do, based on our ten months of working together, is say to me: ‘If you play him, it would cost us this much’.

“He would never, never, never do that. I don’t even know if it’s true or not, because we’ve never discussed it. He never interferes with team selection. It might be true, but if a journalist says it, we have to take it with a pinch of salt.”