Barcelona are set to be frustrated in their audacious attempts to sign Mohamed Salah from Liverpool this season due to rules in place by La Liga.
The Catalan giants have been linked with a move for the Egyptian forward, who is out of contract next year and whose future at Anfield is increasingly uncertain. Salah is arguably the best player in world football this season due to his remarkable output for the Reds.
The Egyptian superstar leads the Premier League scoring charts with 20 goals in 27 appearances this season, with another 10 assists for his team-mates. But the 29-year-old could become one of the latest high-profile stars to run down their contracts in favour of earning a more lucrative payday after turning down the club's latest offer.
Salah’s contract expires in June 2023 but there is no agreement yet between the club and his representative, Ramy Abbas. It is understood no talks have taken place since December, with Abbas making clear he will not come back to the negotiating table unless improved terms are received.
With just 15 months remaining on the forward’s deal, the Reds are now running the risk of losing their star player as a free agent next year – and he will be free to speak to other clubs from January. But Reds boss Klopp insists the club “cannot do much more” in talks as both parties have appeared to reach a stand-off.
It is believed that the former Roma star is one of Liverpool ’s highest earners on £200,000-a-week, but there is a general consensus he could be offered more elsewhere. Salah has previously claimed this contract demands are not "crazy" but as things stand, no agreement can be found between the parties.
Have Your Say! Should Liverpool break their wage structure to renew Salah's contract? Tell us what you think here.
Barca are desperate to sign another forward this summer despite enjoying a summer transfer window in which they signed three forward players: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Adama Traore and Ferran Torres. However, they are keen to sign a central striker this summer with Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski the names linked as an alternative to Salah.
However, a report from Marca outlines that none of those moves are likely due to the club’s ongoing precarious financial situation and need to comply with spending limits as imposed by La Liga. The club’s spending limit has gone from £81million to -£121million, meaning that they need to present evidence of savings, greater investment and longer-term stability before signing any further players.
This is almost certain to rule out a move for Salah or any other star forwards this summer, as they would command a significant wage alongside agent fees and in the case of the Egyptian, a significant transfer fee. The Blaugrana are keen to continue to invest in their squad and recently agreed a new long-term lucrative contract with Spotify – but are likely to need to make more savings before considering a move for Salah.
