Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah’s potential move to the cash-rich Saudi Pro League is one of the most exciting happenings as the football transfer window in England is about to close. Liverpool have maintained that their star winger is “not for sale” and they have no plans to entertain any offer from Saudi champions Al Ittihad. But there’s a catch. The Saudi transfer window doesn’t close until September 20, which means nothing can be ruled out. On the other hand, the summer transfer window will close in the UK at midnight on Friday.
What’s the latest?
Speaking with GIVEMESPORT, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, who closely follows the football transfer market, said that the Reds have made a “key decision” as part of which Salah is set to stay at the club. Romano told GIVEMESPORT: “Of course, there has been a lot of talk … The player is not for sale and they don’t want to negotiate.”
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“They want to keep Mohamed Salah at the club,” the transfer expert said. Salah’s move to another league this late in the transfer window would also mean Liverpool have no time to replace him with a suitable option, he added.
This comes amid fresh reports that Al Ittihad are willing to test Liverpool’s resolve with a ┬г129 million bid for the Egyptian talisman.
And there’s more
The Saudi club are said to be willing to offer Salah a package even higher than the ┬г173 million-per-year salary of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, reports the Mirror. Should the deal materialise, Salah, who has 187 goals for the Merseyside giants, would earn more than Brazil star Neymar, making him the most expensive signing of the Saudi league.
What the player’s agent says
Much like Liverpool, Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas has dismissed the prospects of the player’s move to a new league. Earlier this month, Ramy insisted the forward “remains committed to LFC”.
The Saudi transfer window
Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock move to Al Nassr last season, several European stars, including Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Neymar, Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane and Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez joined the top sides in the desert nation. Among others, Salah’s former Liverpool teammates Roberto Firmino and Fabinho joined Al Ahli and Al Ittihad respectively.
Who can be SalahтАЩs potential replacement?
According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Liverpool would be interested in bringing in Joao Felix as Mohamed SalahтАЩs potential replacement. As per media reports, the Merseyside-based outfit can reinvest ┬г60m to ┬г68m of the money they can potentially gain for Salah on Felix, who is not happy with his current club Atletico Madrid. Apart from Felix, Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure have emerged on LiverpoolтАЩs radar as SalahтАЩs replacement this summer.
