Liverpool star praised by Saudi officials but focus shifts to youth | OneFootball

Salah still fits Saudi vision – but Liverpool’s No. 11 isn’t budging just yet

Saudi charm offensive continues, but Salah stays put

There is something oddly predictable about Mohamed Salah’s name being kept alive in Saudi Arabia’s footballing orbit, like a rumour that refuses to fade no matter how many times it’s buried. Despite penning a new two-year deal at Liverpool, Salah is still being spoken of in aspirational tones by Saudi officials.

Photo: IMAGO

In an interview with ESPN, Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal praised Salah’s global stature: “He’s an iconic Arab Muslim. He fits the identity of playing in the Saudi league.” And yet, despite persistent whispers linking the Egyptian to a move, the prince was keen to stress that no actual conversations took place. “There wasn’t any discussions,” he stated, while simultaneously keeping the door slightly ajar.

Shift in strategy as youth takes priority

If the Saudi Pro League once looked like a playground for football’s retiring elite, the tone has evolved. Now it’s about building, growing, projecting a future rather than simply replaying the past.

“If you see the last number of players that we signed… are mostly young players wanting to develop the league,” said Al-Faisal, citing signings such as Jhon Durán (21) and Moussa Diaby (25). In other words: Salah may be perfect on paper, but he might just be a generational symbol for a project that’s beginning to outgrow symbolic gestures.

Photo IMAGO

Liverpool keeping hold of their talisman

Back at Anfield, the numbers do the talking. Salah’s 32 goals and 23 assists in 46 games this season place him at the centre of Liverpool’s title charge. He is not just a name or a brand—he is production, end product, and purpose.

Despite the Saudi Pro League’s growing allure, there are few clubs in world football that can still match what Liverpool offer: relevance, history, and a platform for true legacy.

Salah’s story far from over

At 32, Salah’s options remain plentiful. And with Saudi Arabia still casting admiring glances his way, the question of whether he might eventually head east lingers in the margins. But for now, Liverpool still holds his loyalty. And perhaps, more importantly, his heart.

Photo: IMAGO

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

This latest round of Saudi admiration for Mohamed Salah feels like déjà vu wrapped in a PR ribbon. The admiration is flattering, no doubt. But it also comes with an undertone that suggests a mild disappointment: Salah fits the bill culturally, commercially and politically—but no, he’s not coming. Not yet.

Liverpool fans should take this as a positive. Salah could have taken the Saudi millions last summer. He didn’t. He could have run down his contract and walked away for free. He didn’t. He signed. He committed.

And more than that, he’s delivered—again and again. His numbers are staggering. Thirty-two goals and 23 assists is a tally that would be era-defining for most. For Salah, it’s just another season.

But let’s not be naïve. The lure of Saudi Arabia isn’t going away. Their pitch will evolve, their money will remain, and one day, they may make a formal play. What matters now is that Salah is here, scoring, leading, lifting. We’ve got time. Let’s enjoy it—because the next time Saudi Arabia come calling, it might be a little harder to say no.