Liverpool to reject offers from Saudi club for Salah - sources

Posted Friday, August 25, 2023 by ESPN

Liverpool will reject any offers for Mohamed Salah, sources have told ESPN, following attempts by Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad to make the forward the latest star player to move to the Saudi Pro League (SPL).

Salah, 31, has emerged as a target for Al Ittihad, who want the Egypt international to form a strike partnership with former Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema at the Jeddah-based team.

Fabinho, Salah's former Liverpool teammate, left Liverpool for Al Ittihad in a deal worth £40 million ($50.5m) last month and sources have told ESPN the Saudi club are prepared to pay a huge fee and wages to sign Salah, who signed a new three-year contract at Anfield in 2022.

But despite the possibility of Liverpool banking a significant fee for Salah by allowing the player to leave, sources have said the English club have no intention of parting company with their star forward.

Liverpool are aware of Al Ittihad's interest, but have yet to receive any offer -- formal or informal -- from the club.

However, sources have said any offers for Salah will be dismissed.

Although the Premier League summer transfer window closes Sept. 1, the Saudi transfer window remains open until Sept. 20, enabling SPL teams to sign players from European clubs for a further three weeks after their business window closes.

Earlier this month, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called on football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA to "find solutions" on closing the Saudi Arabia transfer window earlier.