LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 19: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates scoring the second goal during … [+] the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on August 19, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Visionhaus/Getty ImagesMohamed Salah has defined an entire era of Liverpool’s recent history. Indeed, the Egyptian has made himself an Anfield legend since joining the club in 2017, but questions are now emerging over his future. This is especially the case now that Al-Ittihad are reportedly interested in signing Salah.
It’s believed Salah would be paid £1.5 million-a-week in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad prepared to spend big to land their top target. Of course, several superstars – Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho, Aymeric Laporte and many more – have made the switch to the Saudi Pro League this summer, so the signing of Salah would have precedence.
Liverpool have already sold Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to Saudi clubs this summer with the £60m pocketed for the pair helping the club’s midfield rebuild. At this stage of the transfer window, though, they would surely struggle to find a direct replacement for Salah in their attacking line.
Ittihad’s French forward #09 Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the … [+] Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Riyadh at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd stadium in Riyadh on August 24, 2023. (Photo by Fayez NURELDINE / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty ImagesAnd yet moving Salah on could help Liverpool make a generational transition that is getting closer and closer with every passing season. Salah is under contract until 2025, and is 31 years old, so this might be the last chance the Reds get to cash in. It’s a similar situation to the one Tottenham Hotspur found themselves in with Harry Kane this summer. For the right price, selling Salah would make sense.
As things stand, Salah is expected to stay at Liverpool for the 2023/24 season. “There is nothing to talk about, he is a Liverpool player,” said Jurgen Klopp when asked about Salah’s future and a rumoured offer from Al-Ittihad. “He is essential and will be. There is nothing there. My life philosophy [is] I think about a problem when I have it.”
Klopp has focused much of his attention over the summer on Liverpool’s midfield rebuild. Fabinho, Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left the club to be replaced by Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo. Liverpool’s first two PremierPINC League appearances of the season prove this is still a work-in-progress.
KARLSRUHE, GERMANY – JULY 19: Luis Diaz of Liverpool FC, Bobby Clark of Liverpool FC and Darwin … [+] Nunez of Liverpool FC gestures during the pre-season friendly match between Karlsruher SC and Liverpool FC at BBBank Wildpark on July 19, 2023 in Karlsruhe, Germany. (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
DeFodi Images via Getty ImagesThe attack has also been rebuilt over the last 12 months or so. Roberto Firmino left at the end of last season while Sadio Mane was sold to Bayern Munich last year. Salah is the last remaining member of the Liverpool front three that helped turn the Reds into Premier League and Champions League winners.
Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez have given Liverpool a new look in the final third with teenager Ben Doak also starting to make a breakthrough. Klopp can surely see the future of his attack and selling Salah now might accelerate Liverpool’s development in the medium to long-term. They should take Al-Ittihad’s money for their best player.