It is a development that has long been expected, and now it appears as though Mohamed Salah has received his first offer from Saudi Arabia.
As one of the best players in world football and one of the most famous figures in sport across the Middle East, it is no surprise Salah would be an attractive prospect.
With the revamp of the Saudi Pro League and its wealth of riches, state-backed clubs have already brought in a host of high-profile names.
Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson are among those – along with Steven Gerrard, who manages Henderson at Al Ettifaq.
But to secure Salah’s services would be a landmark in a project which is widely perceived as an attempt at sportswashing as Saudi Arabia looks to enhance its reputation.
According to reports carried by Al-Riyadiah, the club that signed Fabinho for £40 million, Al-Ittihad, have made an approach to Liverpool’s No. 11.
An unnamed source “close to the player” is claimed to have revealed talks with Salah, who would be offered £155 million in wages over two seasons.
The offer would put Salah among the highest-paid players in the Saudi Pro League alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
Liverpool, meanwhile, would receive a bid of £60 million, which is ridiculously low given his standing within Jurgen Klopp‘s squad and his status as the club’s record earner.
The club may have accepted a £40 million bid for Fabinho, but that was arguably above the Brazilian’s market value regardless of his importance to the squad.
Salah would almost certainly command a fee over £100 million, as the fifth-highest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history, a player who starts almost every game and has scored 30 or more times in each of the past three campaigns.
Regardless, it seems the 31-year-old is not open to moving to Saudi Arabia at this stage in his career.
Egyptian journalist Ismael Mahmoud has claimed on Twitter that Salah “wants to stay in Europe for one more year at least,” while Liverpool have “no intention” of selling.
Those on Merseyside and beyond will await a retort from the player’s agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, on social media before speculation can be put aside, of course.
But the hope is that, as with Luis Diaz earlier in the summer, the suggestion of interest from Saudi Arabia will amount to little when it comes to Salah.
Liverpool can ill afford to allow the forward to leave, particularly this close to the end of the summer transfer window.
