Cut price Saudi departure now realistic for Salah and Liverpool | OneFootball

Salah Faces Fresh Saudi Pressure as Slot Weighs Major January Decision

Saudi interest in Mohamed Salah is intensifying once more, with senior figures in the Gulf increasingly confident a January bid could finally prise the forward away from Anfield. After years of record-breaking offers rebuffed by Liverpool, the latest signals from Riyadh suggest renewed — and more calculated — determination to lure the Egyptian to the Saudi Pro League.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot looks dejected Leeds United v Liverpool, Premier League, Football, Elland Road, Leeds, UK 

Saudi Ambition Around Salah Rekindled

Multiple leading clubs in the Saudi system, according to the iPaper, backed by PIF influence, are preparing to test Liverpool’s resolve again. While the numbers offered will not approach the extraordinary £200m proposals of previous windows, there is a strong internal belief that circumstances have shifted decisively in favour of completing a deal.

Saudi decision-makers see a perfect alignment of factors: Salah’s dip in form, frustration over reduced minutes, and Liverpool’s increasingly complex attacking picture under Arne Slot. The perception from within the Pro League hierarchy is that their negotiating position has strengthened.

Slot’s Tactical Calls Fuel Transfer Momentum

Slot has left Salah out of consecutive Premier League starting XIs for the first time in his Anfield career, a move that has not gone unnoticed internationally. Liverpool’s broader downturn, which has seen the reigning champions drop into the lower half of the table, has sharpened conversations about structural change — including whether a major sale is required to reshape the squad.

The club’s ongoing interest in additional firepower, including Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, adds another layer. Liverpool have already committed more than £250m to attacking recruits this year, giving Slot an unusually deep pool of forwards. That depth, paradoxically, makes a high-profile exit more feasible, especially as the club weighs the long-term value of retaining a 33-year-old whose contract enters a critical phase next summer.

Saudi Pathways Opening for a Mid-Season Deal

The Saudi Pro League is also bracing for potential departures of some of its recent headline stars in January. That shift would create space — financially and structurally — for the long-coveted addition of Salah.

From a Saudi perspective, this is the moment to act: a marquee Arab player at the peak of global recognition, positioned to become the face of the league in a way no foreign superstar has managed. Officials believe his arrival would surpass even Cristiano Ronaldo’s impact, both commercially and culturally.

Why the Move May Appeal to Salah Now

Salah has publicly maintained his commitment to Liverpool, but privately, the idea of a Saudi move has never been dismissed entirely by those close to the process. The forward has previously acknowledged he weighed up the opportunity, and given Liverpool’s current instability, it is understood the prospect of revisiting the conversation is not unrealistic.

A transfer mid-season could also protect the legacy he has built on Merseyside. For a figure who has rewritten the club’s goalscoring record books, fading from the spotlight or enduring a prolonged spell out of the team is not a fitting conclusion. A move now would allow him to exit on terms that reflect his stature.

Liverpool face a delicate calculation: retain a legend during a transitional period under Slot, or cash in while they still command a meaningful fee and free space for a refreshed attacking structure. Those discussions are active — and increasingly unavoidable.

Conclusion

With Saudi confidence rising, Liverpool searching for solutions, and Slot reshaping his frontline, the January window promises to bring a defining moment in Salah’s future. What once seemed unthinkable is now a genuine possibility.