Saudi transfer chief breaks silence on Mo Salah move with Liverpool star sent fresh offer
MOHAMED SALAH is unlikely to leave Liverpool in January, according to the Saudi Pro League’s director of football.
Salah, 31, was heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the summer.
Al-Ittihad launched a £170million bid for the winger on transfer deadline day, but it was turned down by Liverpool.
The Saudi side then proposed another last-gasp offer worth over £200m, but the Reds refused to budge.
Some reports suggested that Saudi Pro League officials were prepared to try again for the winger in January.
However, director of football Michael Emenalo believes a transfer is unlikely.
He told Sky Sports News: “Mo Salah, like [Lionel] Messi, [Karim] Benzema, [Cristiano] 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.
“But we also understand that Mo 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, Mo Salah is a player that you want in your league, in any league.
“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.
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“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. If Mo Salah is available, has an interest to come and everything is aligned, I would be incredibly delighted.”
Salah has 18 months remaining on his current Liverpool contract.
The winger joined the Reds in 2017 and has since scored 200 goals and provided 87 assists in 327 appearances.