The 31-year-old has been linked with a move to Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad, who are reportedly willing to offer him a monstrous weekly wage of £1.5 million to entice him to the Middle East, according to David Ornstein, who has warned Liverpool supporters to brace themselves for ‘fireworks’.
The Reds have been steadfast in their insistence that the Egyptian is staying put, but clubs from the Gulf could have an advantage in that their transfer window remains open for a week longer than its English equivalent.
Speaking on The Athletic Football Podcast, Ornstein revealed that he was told to prepare for ‘fireworks’ when it comes to the possibility of Salah leaving Liverpool.
“A lot of this will depend on Salah now,” the journalist said. “If he does raise a fuss and the offer comes in, Salah would need to show some unhappiness. His agent this month said he wouldn’t have signed the new contract a year ago if they didn’t want to say but clearly something has changed. It’s not as easy as just walking off in a strop at Stamford Bridge.
Ornstein is not the first journalist to alert Liverpool supporters to the certainty that Salah will depart in the coming days, but as one of the most credible reporters in the industry, some Reds may suddenly be concerned about the future of their number 11.
The possibility of the Egyptian following suit cannot be ruled out given the suddenness with which Fabinho and Jordan Henderson moved to Saudi Arabia during the summer, as well as the abundance of high-profile athletes who have also relocated to the Middle East.
Thankfully, there hasn’t been any indication from the 31-year-old’s early-season performances that he wants to leave Anfield.
He has already scored once in the Premier League and contributed two assists, one of which was the exquisite pass to Darwin Nunez for Liverpool’s dramatic victory against Newcastle last weekend (Sofascore). As such, he cannot be accused of putting his career on hold due to the ongoing Saudi ties.
The Anfield hierarchy have to be firm with the 31-year-old while also doing everything they can to urge him to stay put if they sense any hint of a desire to leave the club. The tension will persist until the Middle Eastern transfer window slams shut.
