Journalist: Clubs planning mega moves to sign Mohamed Salah in January | OneFootball

Saudi Interest Raises New Questions Around Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool Future

Credit to Ben Jacobs for talkSPORT for outlining yet another dramatic turn in Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool story. The latest report reveals that multiple Saudi Pro League clubs are positioning themselves for a January move, intensifying a saga that has already unsettled supporters.

The most striking development is Salah hinting that he will say his “goodbyes” when Liverpool host Brighton at Anfield before heading off to AFCON. According to Jacobs, Salah feels he has been “thrown under the bus” and believes his relationship with Arne Slot is “broken”. That is a seismic statement from a player who only signed his latest contract nine months ago.

Liverpool’s decision to leave him out of the Champions League squad for the Inter match is described as “a pragmatic and a short-term response”, yet the optics remain difficult. Slot has held firm and the club hierarchy continue to publicly back their manager, but the tension feels impossible to ignore.

Saudi Ambitions Around Salah

Jacobs reports that Al Hilal retain interest after previously exploring a move before the Club World Cup. NEOM FC and Al Qadsiah are also monitoring developments. The financial power is extraordinary. Saudi chiefs reportedly view Salah as the next global face of the league when Cristiano Ronaldo departs, currently expected in 2027. One senior figure is said to believe Salah “can carry the league to its next era globally”.

The reported salary package, potentially around £175million per season, illustrates the scale of ambition. There is also the influence of Pro League sporting director Michael Emenalo, who is described as having “a close relationship with Salah”, a factor that could accelerate negotiations if an opportunity arises.

Photo: IMAGO

Liverpool’s Stance and Market Realities

Despite all this noise, Liverpool remain publicly committed to Salah until summer 2027. The club expect any departure to come only after “concrete exit plans” are presented, and they have no intention of waiving a transfer fee. With Al Ittihad’s £150million bid rejected in 2023, valuations have naturally shifted, but any acceptable fee would still need to far exceed the £45m plus add ons involved in Darwin Núñez’s move to Al Hilal.

Yet uncertainty persists. Salah has five goals and three assists in 19 appearances this season, though criticism has grown around the timing of his recent comments. The fallout from his Elland Road interview continues to shape the mood around the club.

MLS Possibilities Add Extra Layer

MLS interest only adds complexity. San Diego’s Egyptian-British owner Mohamed Mansour is reportedly tempted, while Chicago Fire previously made a formal approach. Either move would shatter the MLS transfer record.

Liverpool’s dressing room reportedly “liked” Salah’s pointed social media post after his Champions League omission, signalling a squad that understands his frustration even if the relationship with the manager looks strained.

Jacobs notes that senior Saudi officials are cautious about whether Salah truly represents a January opportunity. Yet the mere fact that so many clubs are preparing positions says everything about the scale and urgency surrounding this situation.

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It is impossible for Liverpool fans not to feel a sense of disappointment reading all this. A player who has defined an era, smashed records and acted as the heartbeat of the club for nearly a decade now appears locked in a stand off that feels unnecessary and deeply avoidable. Supporters understand tensions happen, but hearing Salah speak about being “thrown under the bus” lands heavily. It jars with the image supporters have of a club built on unity.

Arne Slot won the Premier League title in his debut season and has every right to uphold discipline and protect the collective. Yet many fans will argue that a player of Salah’s stature deserved a calmer internal resolution. Being left out of the Champions League squad stings, not because Slot was wrong to act, but because this whole situation suggests communication has broken down on multiple levels.

The idea of Saudi clubs circling again only deepens the frustration. Liverpool fans have lived through this before with the 2023 bid and hoped that chapter had closed. Seeing figures like £175million per season thrown around feels surreal and reminds supporters that the club cannot compete financially if Salah truly wishes to leave. MLS interest adds an unusual twist but does little to ease concerns.

Most fans want clarity more than anything. If Salah stays, the relationship with Slot must be repaired quickly. If he is leaving, supporters want him to exit with dignity befitting a modern Liverpool legend rather than amid noise and conflict. Above all, there is a sense of sadness that this extraordinary partnership might end not with celebration, but with tension, frustration and unresolved questions.