Liverpool wanted to sign Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas in the summer transfer window, but according to reports in Italy they have failed to agree a fee.
The Reds sold Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabian clubs in the summer, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner also left on free transfers at the end of June.
This led to Jurgen Klopp overhauling the midfield as Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch all signed for Liverpool’s new look.
Liverpool eventually bid €30m (£26m) for Elmas, but the Premier League club received a “firm and determined” response from the Italian giants, who had no intention of selling at that price.
Mohamed Salah was one of the players linked with a move away from Liverpool in the summer transfer window, with Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia making a £150m bid before the English transfer window closed. And Saudi Arabia Football Pro League director Michael Emenalo insists they are not “closing the door” on a future deal for Liverpool’s Salah.
“If it didn’t happen, it’s not because we don’t like the player anymore or because we have problems with Liverpool,” Emenalo told Sky Sports.
“Because certain things that must be consistent for all parties in the process did not work. Nobody is upset, we will continue. But we will not close the doors at all. “And if there is an opportunity to do things and do them well, and it brings Mohamed Salah to the Saudi Arabia Pro League, we are all very grateful.”
ESPN’s Gab Marcotti believes that some in “Liverpool’s ownership structure” probably wanted to sell Salah and put the money in the bank.
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Despite the fact that Saudi Arabian clubs tried to capture him, he decided to stay at least one year. “Maybe there are people in the ownership of Liverpool who would have liked him to go and get the money,”
Marcotti told ESPN.
“But in this way he reinforces his role as an Anfield hero and does not leave Jurgen Klopp out in the open.
“I put him there [as one of the biggest winners of the transfer window] because guess what? He and his agent kept their word.
