Mohamed Salah left Liverpool for the Africa Cup of Nations under a cloud at the end of last year but was enthusiastically welcomed back by manager Arne Slot on his return.
Salah had spoken out over his reduced role in the Liverpool team, which saw him unused in successive away games at West Ham United and Leeds United in the weeks before international duty in Morocco.
The captain of Egypt hinted that his status and achievements at Liverpool were not being adequately respected but all parties appeared to move on quickly enough for there to be no residual concerns when they were reunited last month.
Salah’s long-anticipated switch to Saudi Arabia could still come to pass
Nevertheless, the temptation for any Premier League club to ensure they get a fee on the departure of a 33-year-old applies even to players of Salah’s impact and influence on the Reds’ modern successes.
According to reporting by Win Win Sports via Caught Offside, a move to the Saudi Pro League could be on the cards for the Liverpool winger. Al-Ittihad, one of the clubs majority-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, are understood to be leading the way.
“Karim Benzema recently left the Saudi Arabian club, and they want Salah to replace him,” reports Caught Offside. “The 33-year-old has also been linked to a move to Saudi Arabia in the past.
“It seems highly likely that the Egyptian will leave Liverpool in the summer, and moving to Saudi Arabia could be an interesting opportunity for him. He is one of the best players in the world when in form, and he could prove to be an exceptional acquisition for Al-Ittihad.”
According to the report, Salah could be available for as little as €30 million. He will have one year left on his new contract when the summer transfer window opens and that might well be seen as a big win on Merseyside.
“It seems unlikely that Liverpool will stand in his way at the end of the season. They will look to cash in on the player while he still retains some value,” adds Caught Offside.
Al-Ittihad is the club where former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho is employed along with the likes of Steven Bergwijn, ex-Aston Villa winger Moussa Diaby and Youssef En-Nesyri, who joined this week from Fenerbahce.
Salah moving to the Saudi Pro League is a longstanding prospect. Even in his thirties, the two-time Premier League champion and 2018/19 Champions League winner would command a hefty salary to see out his playing career.
It’s also been suggested over the years that Salah, who is ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo's list of the best African footballers ever, could be permitted to travel to Saudi Arabia from a home base in Egypt.
Jeddah, where Al-Ittihad play, is on the opposite banks of the Red Sea from the North African nation, though Salah is from the north of Egypt.
