Mohamed Salah was reportedly “ready to go” to Saudi Arabia, but Liverpool intervened to prevent his move, according to Michail Antonio.
The Egyptian, Mohamed Salah forward was the subject of a £150 million bid from Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad during the summer transfer window, but Liverpool rejected the offer. Salah had been open to the possibility of making the move to the Middle East.
According to Michail Antonio, Mohamed Salah is said to be “ready” to go to Saudi Arabia
Mohamed Salah is a key player for Liverpool, and his potential departure would have been a significant blow to the team, especially considering he had signed a new contract just the previous year. He is also considered one of the most famous Arab stars globally, making him a target for wealthy Middle Eastern clubs.
Michail Antonio revealed on the Footballer’s Football Podcast that Salah was prepared to make the move but Liverpool made it clear that he would not be sold. Despite talk of a follow-up world-record bid, Liverpool remained firm in their stance.
He said on the Footballer’s Football Podcast , said: “He didn’t turn that down, no way. He was locked up and the Reds had put that red arrow across: ‘You are not going anywhere’. He did not stop that at all. To be fair to him, he didn’t kick up a fuss and let them do what they were doing. But I know for a fact that he was ready to go.”
Liverpool turned down a £150m bid for Mohamed Salah
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has consistently expressed confidence in Salah’s commitment to the club and stated that he had no doubts about the player’s future at Anfield. Klopp emphasized that Salah wanted to continue playing for Liverpool.
In the days immediately after the window closing, Klopp made it clear that he was always confident Salah was going to stay put. “I’ve never had, and I don’t have now, doubts about his future, his commitment to this club,” said the German. “Believe me, you can’t imagine how much fuss the whole world makes and how calm we are with it. He’s our player, he wants to play here and that’s it.”
While there may be renewed interest from the Saudi Pro League in Salah’s signature in the future, Klopp has stated that he is not worried about the player leaving.
Klopp made it clear that he was always confident Salah was going to stay put
Several Premier League stars have made moves to the Middle East as the region invests heavily in improving its domestic league. Players like Edouard Mendy, Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, and Neymar have all made moves to the Middle East in recent times
