Liverpool have apparently received an approach from Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad for star forward Mohamed Salah that would greatly diminish the offer Cristiano Ronaldo received from Al Nassr, talkSPORT understands.
The highly popular Egypt international is currently caught up in the midst of intense transfer speculation this summer with impending news of a mega money-spinning move to the whirling sands of Saudi Arabia.
Jeddah-based outfit Al Ittihad – currently the Saudi Pro League champions under the mentorship of former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo – are the club keenly interested in taking Salah from Anfield this summer.
Although talkSPORT understands a sale involving the Liverpool talisman is unlikely this summer, it’s believed he would become the Saudi Pro League’s highest-paid player, surpassing Al Nassr star Ronaldo, it the sale were to happen somehow.
Ronaldo is earning £173m a year in Saudi Arabia, which means Salah’s wages would be even more stratospheric if he were to pen the deal. The deal is not by any means absurd nor impossible as Liverpool have already lost key players to Saudi Arabia in Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
Understandably, the departure of Salah would greatly impact Liverpool considering the indispensable role he plays in the team, having scored 187 times in 307 appearances for the Reds and was chiefly instrumental to Jurgen Klopp’s team that won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup only a few seasons ago.
However, Liverpool should be able to take a breath of relief and relish the fact that Salah has already appeared to turn down a move to Saudi Arabia this summer, a consolation reaffirmed by his agent Ramy Abbas on August 7: “If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC.”
Salah signed a three-year contract extension in the summer of 2022, making him the best-paid player in Liverpool’s history. However the wages on offer in Saudi Arabia would no doubt blast that £350,000-a-week contract to smithereens should it be actually sealed as Henderson, who left for Al Ettifaq earlier this summer to reunite with Steven Gerrard, is already earning double that.