Insider confirms the major problem with Mo Salah's Saudi Pro League move | OneFootball

When Mohamed Salah announced he was leaving Liverpool last week many assumed that a move to the Saudi Pro League was imminent.

Seval of Saudi Arabia’s top clubs have been chasing Salah for years now, with Al-Ittihad even having a £150 million bid turned down in September 2023.

The move would make a lot of sense, Salah is still regarded as one of the best players in world football and the fact he will be available without a transfer fee makes him an extremely attractive prospect for clubs.

A deal between Salah and the Saudi Pro League may not be as simple as it seems though, and a league insider has revealed why.

The problem with Mo Salah’s Saudi move

Saudi clubs have proven in recent seasons that they have no problem throwing money at big name players, but recently the transfer model has shifted to signing younger, high-potential players with resale value.

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Speaking to WinWin, a source from inside the Saudi Pro League has confirmed that Salah would be an exception to the current model, saying: “As far as the league is concerned, Mohamed Salah does not fit with the league's recent strategy.”

This isn’t a massive problem though, Salah’s reputation and ability should be enough on their own to sanction a deal, but there could be another issue for any interested Saudi sides.

The media rights for the next five seasons of the Saudi Pro League have already been sold, meaning that an increase in viewership that would come with a big name star like Salah arriving in the league would not come with a boost in TV revenue for clubs.

The source did confirm to WinWin that, even despite the lack of increased revenue, Salah “will be an amazing name to add to the Saudi league championship.”

Signing Salah wouldn’t come without any monetary bonus though. A massive spike in shirt sales could be expected and having one of the world’s best players would be a huge boost to any club’s global brand.

Bringing Salah to the Saudi Pro League might not be as big of a no-brainer as it seems on the surface, but the issues that have arisen so far aren’t going to be enough to put an end to the league’s multi-year pursuit of the Egyptian King.