“Salah is a player that you want in your league, in any league,” Saudi Pro League official says
Liverpool star player Mohamed Salah is not expected to play Riyadh Season Cup slated to be held in January 2024, despite several teams showing their interest in him.
According to the reports, the Egyptian icon — who has reached the 200-goal mark at Liverpool — was targeted by different teams in that region during the summer transfer window of 2023 and bids of around £150 million ($192m) were tabled.
However, no deal was done, with Salah tied to a contract at Anfield through to 2025, goal.com reported.
Another push is likely to be made from the Saudi Pro League at some stage, with Salah’s former team-mates Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino having already followed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to an ambitious and big-spending division.
There is, however, little chance of Salah treading that path early in 2024.
“Mohammad Salah, like [Lionel] Messi, Benzema, Ronaldo and the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, these are players that, when there is a sense of availability for them, we are willing to listen,” Saudi Pro League’s Director of football Michael Emenalo told Sky Sports.
“But we also understand that Salah is happy where he is at present and in a historic, wonderful club at Liverpool. We respect that very much and we don’t want to come across as putting any pressure on him. But if there is any interest to do something, Salah is a player that you want in your league, in any league,” he said.
“We respect Liverpool and in this scenario, the initiative to do anything won’t come from us. There has to be an aligned interest from all parties involved. It’s a very personal thing, as a player that I recruited [for Chelsea] and I like.
There’s nothing I’m saying that is new or ground-breaking – that a player of this level of talent is available and your league wants him. If Salah is available, has an interest to come and everything is aligned, I would be incredibly delighted.”
