Mo Salah: Liverpool exit date named as Klopp is told brutal reality about deal for world’s best player
Mohamed Salah remains a target for Al-Ittihad
Liverpool have been told there were ‘never any doubts’ Mohamed Salah would quit Anfield this summer – but Jurgen Klopp has been warned that the harsh realities of football finances means his exit may come sooner rather than later.
The Egyptian star is regarded as one best players in world football, the best Muslim player of all time and stands up alongside the Merseysiders’ all-time leading talents.
Having signed in a bargain £36.9m move from Roma in 2017, Salah has blasted in an astonishing 188 goals during his six full seasons at Anfield. At an average of well over 30 goals a season, Liverpool moved to tie the player to a new three-year deal last summer, making him their highest-paid player of all time on a deal worth a massive £350,000 a week.
However, in the grim reality of the money on offer in Saudi Arabia, the money Salah is paid is now considered small-fry. To that end, the Egyptian king was the subject of an intense chase for his services from Saudi Pro-League side Al-Ittihad.
With a starting bid of £60m discussed, they ultimately saw an offer worth £150m rejected, and were ultimately prepared to as high as £215m – a new world-record fee – to land their man.
And with money no object to their push to sign Salah, they were also preparing to offer him a weekly salary of £2.5m a week, plus additional commercial endorsements.
Ultimately, the Al-Ittihad quest came to nothing despite strong claims emanating in the Gulf State that Salah was ‘already in Jeddah’ having already signed on the dotted line for Al-Ittihad.
In the face of the mounting speculation, though, both Liverpool and a determined Jurgen Klopp held their nerve.
READ MORE: Salah warned he will be ‘doing Liverpool dirty’ as details of record-breaking transfer bid arrive
Liverpool told to prepare for summer 2024 sale of Salah
However, the Saudi money machine is ready for a fresh push for Salah in 2024. And while the possibility of a January move looks relatively bleak, John Aldridge has warned the Reds they will find it impossible to resist the sale of the player come next summer.
By then, Salah will have just a year left on his Anfield deal and, if the Saudis do come back with another £200m bid, it would simply be too good an offer for the Merseysiders to reject.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, former Reds frontman Aldridge said: “It’s not for me to say whether he should be allowed to leave next summer, but look, it depends on his contract. He’s only got a year left after next summer.
“The club know if Mo wants to go there, it would be silly if he’s got one year left on his contract they’d not sell up and he’d go for nothing at the end of his contract.
“If you can get around about £200m for him – that’s the same as about two of the best players in the world at the moment, £100m each – that’s the logical way to go about it rather than let him go for nothing and get another season off Mo. That’s the business side of things at least.
“We’ll have to wait and see what happens, it’s all ifs and buts.”
Aldridge tips Liverpool diamond to Salah to play until he’s 40
Like Cristiano Ronaldo, Salah would have to be considered as one of the most dedicated and committed to fitness footballers on the planet.
As a result, Aldridge reckons that the superstar, now 31, can keep playing for another eight or nine years.
“He’d play until he’s 39 or 40, so he’s still got seven or eight years if he wants to play in that league [Saudi]. Super fit, looks after himself, doesn’t get injured – touch wood – and Liverpool are sitting with what I call the ‘Cullinan Diamond’, which is the biggest diamond in the world!
“He’s the best Muslim player probably of all time, right up there with the best in the world at the moment and they want him at any cost. He’s only going to grow in value and next summer might be the time they have to cash in, but they can get even more money. He’s at the pinnacle football at the moment.”
Aldridge insists he had no doubts Salah would ultimately end up staying this summer, adding: “I had no doubts on Mohamed Salah, only a fool would think he was going to go.
“You can’t devalue the team, you can’t devalue our opportunities to go and win cups, and if you sold him it makes a big dent as you can’t do anything for months. I know we’ve got five other – and that’s including [Ben] Doak – really good strikers, but you’ve got to keep your best and he’s been our best for some time now.”
As well as 188 goals in 309 appearances for Liverpool, the player also boasts an excellent 74 assists in that time. That takes his output to an astonishing goal contribution every 1.17 appearances at Liverpool. Simply incredble and proof that he really is Liverpool’s Cullinan Diamond’.
