Liverpool still face a battle to keep hold of Mohamed Salah this summer, with Al-Ittihad remaining interested in signing him, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The Egyptian King has been one of the best players in the world since joining the Reds from Roma in the summer of 2017, scoring 187 goals in 308 appearances and winning numerous trophies along the way.
Worringly, Salah has been linked with a move away from Anfield, however, with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad looking to bring him to the club in a big-money move.
They have already had a £150m bid for Salah rejected, but with the Saudi transfer window not ending until next week, it isn’t out of the question that they could up their offer before then.
Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano claimed that Liverpool remain hellbent on keeping hold of Salah, but Al-Ittihad’s interest is going nowhere:
“Despite the window remaining open for the Saudi Pro League, there’s no news on Mo Salah at the moment honestly.
“The bid from Al-Ittihad has been rejected and Liverpool want to keep Salah. They consider the story over. From Saudi, they continue to insist as Al-Ittihad are really obsessed with a deal for Salah.”
Our verdict on Salah’s Liverpool future…
It seem evident at this point that Al-Ittihad aren’t going anywhere, so Liverpool should brace themselves for an offer of around £200m, which would be a world record transfer, should the Reds accept it.
They seem adamant that the 31-year-old isn’t going anywhere, however, and to lose him now could have a fatal impact on their season, considering he remains arguably the first name on Jurgen Klopp’s team sheet.
Should Salah want to leave for Al-Ittihad, it will put Liverpool in a difficult position – Klopp could allow him to leave if he is no longer happy on Merseyside – but he will hopefully believe that Anfield is the best place for him moving forward, at least until next summer.
At that point, all parties could agree that a move away makes sense – his current contract expires in the summer of 2025 – although it would still be best for him to stay put with the Reds for the rest of his career.