Ex-Liverpool chief makes worrying Mo Salah transfer claim - 'Saudi is entirely possible'
Mohamed Salah's contract with Liverpool expires at the end of this season and the Egyptian winger continues to be tipped for a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League
by Nathan Ridley · The MirrorFormer Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke believes that it's 'entirely possible' Mohamed Salah will move to Saudi Arabia next summer.
Salah, 32, is on course to be out of contract at the end of this season, with no new deal in sight. The Egyptian winger has established himself as a Liverpool great since joining under Jurgen Klopp in 2017 and his departure would be a significant blow to new manager Arne Slot.
Salah has long been tipped to join a club in the cash-rich Saudi Pro League, with Al-Ittihad notably making a record-breaking £150million bid for the ex- Chelsea prospect. Schmadtke, who left Liverpool in January of this year after Klopp announced his departure, has now claimed that Salah could be enticed to the Middle East if he becomes a free agent in June 2025.
"I don't know, but it is entirely possible that this will happen," the former chief told Saudi Arabian outlet Al-Eqtisadiah. "The Saudi League is developing every year, due to more money being invested in the competition."
Given his age, Liverpool are hesitant to offer Salah a lucrative long-term deal. The 33-year-old isn't the only key player to be out of contract next summer, as team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold have also entered the last 12 months of their deals.
Slot has continually remained coy on the trio's contract situations, most recently telling reporters during his press conference on Friday: "The contract situation could become a problem if the players don't perform as well as they do at the moment. It's also not sure that if they perform not as good anymore that has anything to do with the contract situation.
"At the moment, all three of them are in a good place, they all perform really, really, really well. There are ongoing discussions between what Virgil said are the people he had to talk with, and that's not me, as you know. I talk to him about other things. Let's wait and see."
Get involved! Should Mohamed Salah leave Liverpool for Saudi Arabia? Have your say in the comments section.
Salah revealed after Liverpool's rousing 3-0 win against Manchester United in September that he's anticipating a move away. "To be fair I was coming to the game, it could be the last time [playing at Old Trafford]," he told Sky Sports post-match. "Nobody in the club has talked to me about contracts.
"It is not up to me, it is up to the club." Salah added: "As you know, this is my last year with the club and I want to enjoy it. I don't want to think about it; I feel I am free to play football - we will see what happens next year."
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