Saudi Arabian clubs want to sign Mohamed Salah, but they will need to clearly demonstrate that he is ready to play in Saudi Arabia before making a move for the Liverpool forward.
Currently, Liverpool have not received any approach for the player. Over the past two years, clubs such as Al Ittihad and Al Hilal have attempted to sign Salah, but he has never shown any firm desire to leave Europe’s highest level of club football and move to the Saudi Professional League (SPL).
Clubs in the SPL have changed their strategy and are targeting younger players rather than star players nearing the end of their careers, but an exception will always be made when it comes to Salah.
Al Ittihad had made a verbal offer of £150m to sign Salah in September 2023, but the move was made very late as a deal was very unlikely.
There was a real possibility that Salah would move to the SPL before signing a new contract with Liverpool in April, but there were also talks about a free transfer with rival clubs in the Premier League and Europe.
The possibility of Salah playing for another club in the Premier League is not yet closed, but it is a sign that he still believes he can do more in Europe and may feel that now is not the right time to move to the SPL.
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Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk hopes the situation with Mohamed Salah and the club can be resolved, but admits he does not know what will happen to his team-mate.
In any case, Salah’s bombshell interview after coming on as a substitute in Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Leeds and subsequently being branded a “disgrace” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher dramatically changed the dynamics surrounding his future just eight months after signing a two-year deal.
“I’ve done a lot for this club over the years, especially last season,” he told reporters at Elland Road. “Right now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why it happened.
“It seems like the club threw me under the bus, that’s how I feel. I think it’s clear that someone was trying to put all the blame on me.
“We received a lot of promises in the summer, but I can’t say they’re keeping their promises because they’ve been on the bench for three games so far.
“As I have said many times before, I had a good relationship with the manager and suddenly it stopped. I don’t know why, but from my point of view it feels like someone doesn’t want me at the club.”
Following his abuse, the club decided to exclude the 33-year-old from the squad for Tuesday’s trip to Champions League winners Inter Milan. No disciplinary action has been taken, but it remains to be seen whether he will feature in Saturday’s game against Brighton.
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Liverpool manager Arne Slott reacts to Salah’s explosive comments
Ahead of the win in Italy, head coach Arne Slott said he had “no idea” whether Salah had played his last game for the club.
Salah would be a dream signing for the Saudi Pro League, and Saudi football executives believe his deal will be a homecoming for all Arabs.
Salah has shown what Arab and African footballers can achieve at the highest level, so his potential signing would have special significance beyond Saudi Arabia’s borders.
Salah’s agent has a good relationship with senior Saudi football officials and it is only a matter of time before Salah moves to Saudi Arabia, but only if the Saudis believe the time is right.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the Saudi Ministry of Sports will be involved in Salah’s acquisition. But Saudi officials believe players should not be paid more than they earn in Europe.
Carla: I hope Salah plays for Liverpool again despite ‘disgraceful’ comments
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Jamie Carragher shares his thoughts on Salah’s outburst
Carragher has branded Mohamed Salah’s shocking interview “disgraceful” but wishes he did not feature in his final game for Liverpool.
Carragher, who was also mentioned by Salah in the interview, believes the forward’s intervention after Liverpool twice took the lead against Leeds was planned and potentially aimed at sacking the slot player.
“I thought his behavior after the game was disgraceful,” Sky Sports pundit Carragher said on Monday Night Football. “Some people have painted this as an emotional outburst, but I don’t think that’s the case.
“Every time Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he has done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it is choreographed by him and his agents to do maximum damage and strengthen his own position.”
He added: “I think he chose to do this this weekend and was waiting for a bad result for Liverpool.”
“I think you can see from the last-minute goal that Liverpool supporters, the manager and everyone involved at the club feel like they’re at rock bottom right now. And he may have chosen that moment to try to get a manager in and maybe even get him sacked.”
