The Saudi Pro League (SPL) is planning to try again to sign Mohamed Salah next summer, with the Liverpool striker a key target in the next phase of expansion for the rich league. .
Al Ittihad caused a stir at Anfield last summer when they made a staggering £200m bid for Salah at the end of the transfer window, an unbelievable offer for a player over 30 years old that Liverpool could hardly resist. In the near future, Saudi Arabian billionaires will try to recruit with a higher strategy for the Egyptian superstar right in the winter transfer period.
After investing £750m on new players in the last transfer window, the SPL’s spending is expected to drop next year as they are locked into all broadcast and commercial contracts for the next 18 months .
But Salah is considered an exception. The 31-year-old is a more important transfer target than Cristiano Ronaldo, who brought more instant prestige with his signing to join Al Nassr, after leaving Manchester United 12 months ago, because Salah is still at his peak. high profile and an icon throughout the Arab world.
Recently, more than 10,000 Egyptian fans turned out at King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah midweek to watch African champions Al Ahly defeat Al Ittihad and advance to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, where they will meet their hosts. Brazil’s South American champions, Fluminense. And if Salah is present, the Egyptian community will be even more crowded.
SPL’s expansion strategy has ignited passion for football across the Middle East and Africa, and the recruitment of Salah will accelerate this growth. Salah will have 12 months left on his current contract worth £300,000-a-week next summer, leaving Liverpool with the difficult choice between collecting a huge chunk of money or offering him a huge deal to finish career at the club.
Salah did not disrupt the club to leave to make money if he opened negotiations with Al Ittihad last summer, although it forced Liverpool to seek a contract extension with a higher salary at the end of the season.
If he wants to challenge for the title in coach Klopp’s squad, striker Salah may not join Saudi Arabia’s football community. Photo: GETTY.
In essence, Liverpool cannot compete with the huge tax-free salary of £1.25 million per week that Al Ittihad offered Salah last summer, but given the huge scale of his income off the field, the money The Egyptian director can still choose to stay if he prioritizes challenging and winning more Premier League titles.
In a study published by Harvard Business School earlier this year, Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, estimated that the striker’s total income ranged from £46.8 million to £53.7 million. each year.
If he scores against Man United on the night of December 17, Salah will extend his record. Photo: GETTY.
Mohamed Salah is approaching a remarkable record, when he continuously made his mark with goals or assists in 16 consecutive matches for his team. If this 31-year-old star scores or has an assist in the upcoming match against Manchester United on the night of December 17, he will write his name in Premier League history with the second longest consecutive scoring streak, only after Alan Shearer of Blackburn.
Egyptian international Salah scored 12 goals against Manchester United – a record that has never been set by any player from any other club. In addition, Salah also just scored his 200th goal for Liverpool, in their 2-1 comeback victory over Crystal Palace.