Report: Saudi clubs still eyeing move to sign Liverpool star | OneFootball

Saudi Arabia readiness keeps Liverpool star future firmly in spotlight

Fresh reporting from The Telegraph has reopened one of football’s longest running modern sagas, the Saudi Pro League’s interest in Mohamed Salah and the financial muscle that could once again shape Liverpool’s future planning.

The central detail remains stark. Saudi officials are positioned to fund a move for the 33-year-old forward should he become open to leaving Anfield, following his surprise omission from Arne Slot’s starting line-up in Liverpool’s last two Premier League fixtures.

Salah’s reputation still precedes him. Described as the greatest Premier League goalscorer currently active, his legacy is already written, with 190 Liverpool goals in the league era placing him behind only Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney in the all-time standings. Yet recent events have injected uncertainty into what once appeared a settled chapter following the contract extension that runs until 2027.

Photo @LFC on X

Captain Virgil van Dijk’s public reminder that no player has “unlimited credit” underscored the shift. Liverpool’s new era under Slot is being built around competition rather than sentiment.

“It’s not like you have unlimited credit, everyone has to perform,” said Van Dijk. “Mo has been doing that but the manager made that decision in the last two games. We all want the best for the club.”

Salah links to Saudi Arabia resurface

Saudi interest in Salah is nothing new. Al-Ittihad failed with a £150m bid in September 2023, then talks evolved towards a potential Bosman move last summer before Salah’s decision to renew at Liverpool altered the landscape. That choice did not sever relationships, however, and sources cited by The Telegraph believe how those early negotiations ended could be crucial now that a fee would be required.

Salah himself acknowledged the openness of those discussions.

“My relations with SPL officials are very good, we talked a lot and the negotiations were serious,” he told Egyptian broadcaster ON Sport after receiving last season’s Football Writers’ Player of the Year award. “It was a good opportunity to me, if I hadn’t renewed with Liverpool it would have happened.”

Saudi clubs, four backed by the Public Investment Fund, have tempered spending after the initial recruitment wave that brought names like Cristiano Ronaldo to the Middle East in 2022. João Félix and Darwin Núñez arrived last summer from Premier League benches rather than centre stage, reflecting greater restraint.

Yet the reality remains that the funding still exists for a transformational figure. Salah fits the image requirements of the SPL perfectly, global appeal, consistent elite output and unmatched recognition across Africa and the Middle East. With the 2034 World Cup on the horizon and major early signings nearing contract conclusions, another marquee push could be launched.

Slot decisions prompt scrutiny

Salah’s own uncertainty surfaced previously when he admitted feeling “more out than in” during last season’s contract drama. That unease had seemingly been resolved with the new deal, but his benching for two consecutive league matches, the first time that has happened across his Liverpool career, has inevitably altered the mood.

This season he has five goals in all competitions, evidence of continued productivity, yet Slot confirmed the forward was “not happy” after being dropped. Van Dijk expanded on the internal tone around the decision.

Photo: IMAGO

“I am pretty sure Mo will still be a big part of what we are trying to achieve because he is an amazing player and he has shown it consistently. But we are all trying to find consistency and he needs us to be in our best shape and we need him and that’s what we are all trying to find.

“He is still a fantastic player and we still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that.

“I need him around as one of the leaders. I’m not worried. He’s disappointed, but that’s absolutely normal as if you’re not disappointed when you’re not playing two games in a row then there is an issue as well.”

Transfer window implications

Liverpool’s position remains unchanged publicly, no active intention to sell a contracted star who continues to influence matches. Yet Saudi capability introduces a variable that market conditions cannot ignore. Any sizeable bid would test Liverpool’s resolve, particularly as the club recalibrates its wage structure under Slot’s rebuild.

For now, there is no active exit push. But the repeated underscoring of financial readiness ensures Salah’s situation remains a live storyline rather than a closed chapter.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

For Liverpool supporters, this report triggers conflicting emotions. Loyalty to Salah’s era defining brilliance remains absolute, yet modern football realism intrudes. Slot’s willingness to bench even the club’s most decorated forward signals a laudable commitment to standards, and many fans welcome that cultural shift.

Still, losing Salah would leave a vacuum few signings could fill. His reliability in big moments, his leadership, and his global stature elevate Liverpool beyond raw numbers on a goalscoring chart. Even at 33, supporters see no measurable drop that demands an exit conversation.

However, if Saudi money reaches truly generational territory, figures well north of past bids, fans would reluctantly accept the logic. Such a sale could fund multiple reinforcements in a squad still in transition. Yet emotionally, the hope remains that Slot’s management rekindles Salah’s role as the automatic starter rather than a rotation option.

Salah deserves a Liverpool farewell defined by standing ovations and silverware, not by the optics of tactical omission or distant cheque books. For most supporters, the priority is clear, keep him firing on Merseyside for as long as elite levels hold.