Updated 7 Aug 2023 12:38 pm:
Mohamed Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, has today tweeted confirming the Liverpool forward’s commitment to the club.
Reports emerged overnight that Al-Ittihad were preparing a money-no-object move for the Egyptian international, which would have served as a further blow to the club in a window that has already proved tricky.
Liverpool have been no strangers to the power drive of Saudi Arabian football, having already lost Jordan to Al Ettifaq and Fabino to Al-Ittihad, resulting in £52 million in transfer fees. The financial might of Saudia Arabian football has already made a splash during this transfer window, having already seen stellar names such as Karim Benzema, Ngolo Kante, Christiano Ronaldo and many, many more board a plane for the venture.
It has now been suggested that Al-Ittihad are prepared to offer Liverpool a fee of around £60 million and the player an eye-watering financial package of around £160 million over 2 years.
Liverpool would be loathed to lose Salah, the 31-year-old seen as integral to Liverpool getting back into the Champions League and challenging for major honours, suggesting a fee of £60 million would fall well shy of getting the clubs attention for the player that still has 2 years remaining in his contract.
Regardless of the club’s likely reluctance to entertain any offers for Salah, reports in Saudi Arabia have suggested talks have already begun. In a report in Al-Riyadiah, A source close to the player suggested, in an exclusive interview: “It is true. There are negotiations between Mohamed Salah and the Saudi club Al-Ittihad. This is what I can say, for now, I have no other details.” he went on to say “The offer must be attractive for the Egyptian star to come to play in Saudi Arabia. Salah still has a lot to offer in England. Whereas, sources told Al-Riyadiah that the Western club’s offer to Salah amounts to 180 million euros for two seasons, in addition to 60 million pounds sterling to buy the remaining period of his contract from his English club, Liverpool”.
Such reports have naturally driven the Liverpool fan base into a frenzy, the loss of such an influential player in a window has proven a frustration, too much to process.
This morning, however, Mohamed Salah’s Agent, Ramy Abbas Issa has moved to calm the supporters with a tweet of reassurance: “If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer,” said Issa. “Mohamed remains committed to LFC.”
These words will have been gratefully received by the Anfield faithful, mirrored, no doubt, by the Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. The German manager has already voiced his concerns regarding the Saudi Arabian transfer window, the Liverpool boss has already described the fact that the Saudi window remains open for additional weeks to England as “Not helpful”. He continued, whilst talking to BBC Sport “It is massive, in the moment,” on the Saudi Arabian influence, “Pretty much the worst thing I think is that the transfer window in Saudi Arabia is open three weeks longer.
“If I am right, I heard something like that, then at least in Europe that’s not helpful.
“Uefa or Fifa must find solutions for that. But in the end, at this moment, I don’t know exactly what will happen.”
It would appear, following the reassuring tweet from Salah’s agent, Klopp can sleep well and without fear of losing his star man, and rather focus on the challenge that remains, getting suitable bodies and quality for the club to push on for its goals.
Jamie Brown
