Liverpool rejected a mega bid from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for star attacker Mohamed Salah on transfer deadline day, with Jurgen Klopp desperate to keep hold of him
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Liverpool v Aston Villa: Jurgen Klopp press conference
Mohamed Salah has made it clear he is enjoying life at Liverpool after the Reds rejected a massive £150million bid for the attacker from Al-Ittihad.
The Egyptian has emerged as a top target for the Saudi Pro League leaders in the final days of the transfer widnow. He only signed a new contract with Liverpool last year, one which has two years left remaining and sees him earn £350,000 per week.
That has not stopped Ittihad though and the The Tigers pressed ahead with their interest, submitting a staggering offer on deadline day. Liverpool rejected that out of hand though, with the Reds adamant that their star man will be staying at Anfield for the foreseeable future.
Salah appears to be in full agreement with that plan, having been pictured laughing and smiling as he left Liverpool’s training ground on Friday. Given how happy he was, it is hard to see the 31-year-old pushing for an exit.
The attacker is expected to start when Jurgen Klopp’s side host Aston Villa at Anfield on Sunday. Boss Klopp certainly has no intention of selling his top attacker, especially having seen Jordan Henderson and Fabinho move to Saudi Pro League teams.
“The position remains the same absolutely. That’s how it is. Nothing else to say. No offer as far as I know,” Klopp said on Friday morning when asked about the news that Ittihad had seen a bid rejected.
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“I think the next two weeks will show how much of a challenge it is, because whatever happens there, obviously, nobody can react any more. That’s something I think UEFA or whoever should have an eye on. Because we all have to protect the game, and we want [to].
“It’s not illegal, it’s the game, and obviously I love all my players who play now in Saudi Arabia. It’s not like it distracts me now from my watching habits, but we have to make sure all these European leagues… stay as strong as they are.
“We always can help from these kinds of things, like changing rules slightly, adapting rules, making some laws, whatever. We’re all a bit surprised probably in that sense, by the activity from Saudi Arabia, but it happened a lot. A lot of players went there and it improves the league there, definitely.
“That’s the situation, so I don’t know where it will lead to but it feels rather like a threat or a concern than not, to be honest, because I can’t see how we really can deny it in these specific moments. What can we do? Say no? That’s the difference between the contracts here and the contracts there that causes problems, 100 per cent.”
If Liverpool were to somehow be tempted into selling Salah, they would be left with little to no time to bring in a replacement. The summer window slams shut at 11pm on Friday night, though Liverpool’s business does seem to be complete once Ryan Gravenberch’s arrival is confirmed.
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