Liverpool will include Mohamed Salah in their matchday squad when they play Brighton & Hove Albion, but the player’s future at Anfield is still far from certain
Saudi Pro League clubs are reportedly optimistic about securing Mohamed Salah‘s signature if he expresses a clear desire to leave Liverpool. There is a belief that clubs from the kingdom would need to fork out a transfer fee in the region of £100million for the Egyptian international.
According to the Daily Mail, Salah, who has 18 months remaining on his contract worth over £400k-a-week, might not be entirely against such a move. Over recent years, he has never dismissed the idea of moving to Saudi Arabia.
However, Liverpool have no plans to let go of Salah, who is due to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt later this month. Liverpool is not looking to sell in January, despite Saudi clubs’ hefty nine-figure valuation of the 33-year-old.
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A similar figure was on the cards for Manchester United‘s Bruno Fernandes in the summer. However, he stayed put at Old Trafford.
Saudi news outlet Al Riyadiah reported that Al-Ittihad approached Salah back in the summer of 2023, offering £52million to Liverpool and a two-year contract worth £155million to the player. The Reds then turned down a £100million bid, which was said to potentially rise to £150million, from the same club on transfer deadline day a month later.
If Liverpool do eventually show any signs that a deal could be possible, Al Hilal, Al Qadisah and Neom are all reportedly interested – but this has not happened yet. Saudi clubs are biding their time to see if a complete reconciliation happens before making any move.
One source described the Saudi transfer scenario as ‘difficult’, but there remains confidence that a deal could materialise if Salah shows he’s open to it.
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He is due to feature in Liverpool’s squad when they face Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield this afternoon (Saturday, 3pm). His return follows constructive discussions with head coach Arne Slot. He was omitted from the midweek Champions League clash against Inter at San Siro.
This decision had Slot’s complete support after Salah declared he had been “thrown under the bus” following his exclusion from Liverpool’s starting XI for their previous three Premier League fixtures. Slot discussed Salah extensively during his pre-match press conference on Friday.
He said: “I will have a conversation with him this morning, and the outcome of that conversation will determine how it looks tomorrow. What I need is a conversation with him, and the next time I speak about Mo, it should be with him, not in here.
“There’s not much more I can say. I will speak to him (Salah) today, and the outcome will determine how things look tomorrow.
“You can try (the question) in multiple ways, but I just said the next time I speak about him should be with him. There’s been a lot of conversation since last week between his representatives and ours.
“An apology? Normally, I’d say you’ve had your three questions!” Slot stated: “Who made the call (to leave Salah out of the squad for Inter)? We decided, as a club, and I was part of that decision, not to take him to Inter.
“I am always in contact with them, with lineups and squads; that is always left to me. I talk to Richard Hughes more than I do to Michael Edwards; we discuss many things.
“Do I want him to stay? Another way of asking, but the next time I speak about Mo will be with him. I have no reason not to want him to stay.”
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