Last summer, the Saudi Professional League followed Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in the hunt for Egyptian international Mohamed Salah.
Al Ittehad, led at the time by Nuno Espirito Santo, eagerly followed the player.As a result, Liverpool remained adamant about their offer of a whopping £150 million, and the summer passed without the team’s ace being let go.
Nevertheless, interest from Saudi Arabia has not waned and they are looking to acquire him on a free transfer this summer or next.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sport, Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud, revealed to Ben Jacobs, sports journalist, that he had conducted an enquiry against Liverpool after the events of last summer.
“Al-Ittihad requested Salah, and the package was astronomical.”
“He was under contract and we [The Ministry of Sport] were not in direct negotiations. So we enquired to Liverpool and they said they had no desire to sell and so we ended the matter decisively.”
Liverpool have some of the best forwards in the Premier League, including Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota, but the presence of Egyptian King has not diminished.
Although his performances have declined noticeably due to age, his chance-making and decision-making in the final third are second to none, and he has been a key player in the team’s battle for the top two places.
Will the former Roma winger, who has been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia, continue to perform as well as he did under the Dutch coach?