Al Ittihad won’t push harder to sign Mohamed Salah in order to protect their relationship with Liverpool.
The Saudi Pro League side’s pursuit of Salah has dominated headlines over the past two weeks. But with their transfer window set to close tonight, it looks virtually certain that the 31-year-old is staying at Liverpool.
That’s great news for the Reds, who should be applauded for standing firm on Salah. And according to journalist Ben Jacobs on Twitter, Liverpool’s stance was key to the deal being scuppered.
“Mo Salah expected to stay at Liverpool. Although Al-Ittihad have been pushing for Salah (again because they may not be the allocated club in 2024) some senior Saudi dealmakers have been advising against more bids to protect their relationship with LFC,” Jacobs reports.
“No new formal bid tabled to date.
“Conversations with Mike Gordon all verbal and amicable. Liverpool have made their position crystal clear and Salah has not ever tried to change their opinion or force a move.
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“Al-Ittihad sources have always indicated they would be prepared to bid big again (money isn’t the problem), but those close to the London delegation (a party of 10) have also made it clear they won’t bid “blind”. Encouragement would be needed from Liverpool, which hasn’t come.”
Liverpool hold off Salah interest
For a while last week, plenty of Liverpool supporters might have been getting worried about Salah’s future.
Up until the point they made a bid for the Egyptian last Friday, Al Ittihad’s interest had been an abstract idea, not something concrete.
But after the massive £150m offer went in, it felt for the first time like Salah might actually go.
Thankfully though, Liverpool stood firm that their No.11 was absolutely not going anywhere. In the end, that firm ‘No’ appears to have been crucial. Any encouragement at all from the Reds, and things could have escalated.
Salah himself also deserves praise in this. His silence has at times been disconcerting, even if it has been applauded by pundits.
But, ultimately, it sounds like the Egypt captain respected the wishes of the club he’s made his name at. With the money reportedly on offer, it wasn’t a given that Salah would do that. Now, if this is to be his last season at Anfield, let’s push on and make it one to remember.
In the meantime, it is a mild concern that the Saudi ‘dealmakers’ want to keep Liverpool so sweet. They’ll surely be back in for Mo next year. Until then – and hopefully beyond – he’s all ours.