Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is confident of keeping hold of Mohamed Salah - but Al-Ittihad are pushing to sign the Egypt international before Thursday’s transfer deadline
Video Loading
Video Unavailable
Jurgen Klopp dismisses Mohamed Salah transfer talk
Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad are still trying to sign Mohamed Salah - offering Liverpool a staggering £215million.
Although the Premier League’s transfer window closed last Friday, Saudi Pro League teams can still sign players until Thursday. That gives Al-Ittihad hope of bringing in Salah, who is widely regarded as the most popular footballer in the Middle East.
Liverpool are determined to keep hold of the Egypt international, 31, as they can’t sign a replacement until the Premier League’s window opens again in January. Yet it will be difficult to turn down a world-record offer for an ageing superstar.
Reds legend Jamie Carragher believes his former employers will have no choice but to say yes if Al-Ittihad go above £200m. It’s believed their new offer is for an initial £170m, with another £45m coming in add-ons.
According to The Sun, Al-Ittihad chiefs have travelled to the UK to launch one last attempt to sign Salah. The Saudis are willing to make him the best paid player in the Saudi Pro League, with some figures suggesting he could earn as much as £2.45m per week.
Salah would receive a base salary, as well as cash from shirt sales and an ambassadorial role with Saudi companies. He could also pocket a hefty win bonus. The Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, owns a majority stake in Al-Ittihad.
Even if Al-Ittihad fail to sign Salah, they could launch another bid in January or next summer. There is an expectation that the Saudis will eventually get their man, leaving Liverpool fans anxious. Yet they may not offer more than £200m again.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is confident of keeping hold of Salah, for now, and will be delighted if he’s still part of his squad come Friday. The former Roma star has scored 188 goals in just 309 games for Liverpool since joining the club in June 2017.
“I never had any doubt about his commitment to this club,” said Klopp after Liverpool’s 3-0 win against Aston Villa on Sunday. “You can’t imagine how much fuss the world has made but how calm we are with it. He is our player and wants to play here.”
Mohamed Salah is wanted by Al-Ittihad (
Image:
Paul Currie/Colorsport/REX/Shutterstock)
**Do you think Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool before Thursday? Let us know in the comments below! **
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has also tried to quash rumours. He told reporters: “For us there is no concern. For us Mohamed Salah is a Liverpool player and we believe that is what is going to be the case for the foreseeable future.
“He’s the ultimate professional… He’s always been committed to Liverpool and you saw that with the performance he put in (scoring against Villa). The club’s position was that it knocked it back, it rejected the bid and that is what the stance was.
“For me Mo has been Mo all week. He’s not been affected; I’ve been around him a lot and he’s not been affected by anything. Mo has reacted in the best way possible and I think you have seen that with his performance, I think he was pretty special.”
_Join our new WhatsApp community! Clickthis link to receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. _
Get the Liverpool home kit
Liverpool’s home shirt for the 2023/2024 campaign pays homage to Bill Shankly and the legendary Reds manager’s final season in charge at Anfield. The Nike shirt features a bright red design with a bold white contrast on the colour and cuffs.
Prices start from £59.95
Nike
