Salah's Saudi transfer saga, Liverpool's stance and Klopp's blunt verdict

28 August 2023 , 10:12

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Salah's Saudi transfer saga, Liverpool's stance and Klopp's blunt verdict

Despite the best efforts of Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp, speculation linking Mohamed Salah with a lucrative transfer to the Saudi Pro League refuses to go away.

The Reds talisman has become the latest high-profile player to be targeted by clubs in the Middle East, with Al-Ittihad keen on prising the 31-year-old away from Anfield.

Interest in Salah comes just weeks after Liverpool gave Fabinho their blessing to complete a switch to Al-Ittihad, but Klopp and co are far less receptive to the idea of losing their star forward - especially given there is now less than a week of the summer transfer window remaining.

The club and Klopp have both made it clear that Salah is not for the sale, yet Al-Ittihad's interest has not waned. Here, Mirror Football takes a look at the saga which has hung over Liverpool during the early weeks of the 2023/24 campaign...

Whispers of Saudi medical

A whole host of Premier League players have already signed up for the Saudi Pro League project, so it's only natural that a player with the aura and ability of Salah would be targeted.

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And while talk of a move has been played down by all parties, whispers that Salah would be jetting off to undergo a medical immediately after Sunday's match against Newcastle gathered pace over the weekend.

Salah has seen several Liverpool stalwarts move on over the past 12 months; could he, potentially, be toying with following in their footsteps? The only man who knows for sure is Salah himself, but unless we get clarification, these rumours will linger...

Liverpool make stance clear

Join the debate! Do you think Salah will leave Liverpool before the summer deadline? Let us know here.

Liverpool have no desire to sell Mohamed Salah before Friday's transfer deadline (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

There may very well be interest in Salah's services, but one thing is crystal clear: Liverpool have absolutely no appetite to cash in on their star man.

Salah penned a contract extension last summer to put an end to speculation over his services and is a key cog in Liverpool's new look attack. Getting rid of one of their most consistent performers at a time when the Reds' new front three are looking to establish an understanding would be highly detrimental - both for the current season and beyond.

After struggling to source an immediate replacement for Fabinho, Liverpool head into the final week of the transfer window with plenty of work still to do; they can ill-afford to add finding a replacement for one of the Premier League's best forward's to their to-do list.

Klopp's blunt rebuttal

Jurgen Klopp reiterated that Salah would be staying at Anfield on Sunday (Sky Sports)

In a way, you can sort of understand the abrupt answer Klopp gave Sky Sports on Sunday when he was quizzed about the Salah saga.

Just 48 hours after playing down talk of a blockbuster move to the Middle East, the Liverpool chief was put on the spot once again in the wake of Sunday's win over Newcastle.

Just in case the German wasn't clear on Friday, he was taking no chances at the weekend. When it was put to him that speculation over Salah "hadn't gone away", he bluntly hit back: "For me, it has."

Whether that changes or night before Friday night remains to be seen. Jamie Carragher reckons it would take more than £150million to soften Liverpool's stance. Even at that sum, given the timing, can Liverpool afford to sell? That's up for debate.

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Carragher has also predicted that interest in Salah could lead to a deal happening next summer. That doesn't feel beyond the realms of possibility; perhaps it would even suit all parties as Liverpool would have the time and funds to source an adequate long-term heir to their talisman.

Regardless of what happens over the next few days, this feels like it has the legs to rumble on in the background until next summer - whether Liverpool like it or not.

Dan Marsh