"A bit like Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United" - Ray Parlour makes interesting Mohamed Salah transfer prediction
Arsenal icon Ray Parlour has backed Liverpool to strike a gentleman's agreement with Mohamed Salah, similar to Cristiano Ronaldo with Manchester United back in 2008 under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Salah has established himself as one of the best players in the world under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. He has scored 190 goals and provided 83 assists in 313 appearances across all competitions over the past six years, winning seven trophies.
The Egyptian King's feats caught the attention of Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad this summer. They attempted to sign the 31-year-old and were reportedly even willing to pay up to £200 million for his services.
Liverpool rejected their advances, stating Salah was not for sale for any price. However, the Saudi club are expected to return in the January transfer window to test the Reds' resolve.
Parlour believes Klopp and Co. will attempt to keep Salah at the club until the end of the season. He compared it to Cristiano Ronaldo's situation at Manchester United 15 years ago.
Cristiano Ronaldo was tipped to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2008. But, Sir Alex Ferguson convinced him to stay for another season, with a gentleman's agreement that he could leave the next summer.
Parlour told Mighty Tips (via Daily Express):
"How the deal was proposed, it didn't suit Liverpool whatsoever, because they would’ve had to replace him very quickly. The window was just about to close, and you're losing a guy that will score you 20-25 goals a season, but I think they'll be back, the Saudi Arabians look like they're in it for the long haul."
He added:
"They want the best players; they want the stars of the Premier League, and they even offer big money. From Liverpool's point of view, they can plan a bit better, they can plan for next summer or January, but whether they let him go or not depends on how Liverpool are doing, I should imagine."
"If they're doing well in the league, they’re not going to let him go in January, but maybe they'll deal with the player and say, look, give us the rest of the season, a little bit like Ronaldo at Manchester United. They gave him their blessing and said, look, off you go, earn some money, and do whatever you want to do."
Cristiano Ronaldo reaped the benefits of staying at Manchester United for one more season during the 2008-09 campaign. He scored 26 goals in 53 appearances, helping the Red Devils in the Premier League and League Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo wants former Manchester United teammate to join him at Al-Nassr, but there is one big problem: Reports
According to 90min (via FourFourTwo), Cristiano Ronaldo is playing an active role in an attempt to bring Manchester United legend David de Gea to Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr.
De Gea is currently still in search of a new club, having left Manchester United as a free agent this summer. The 32-year-old had a stellar 2022-23 season, keeping 17 clean sheets in the Premier League, winning the Golden Glove award.
Even though De Gea is likely to flourish in the Saudi Pro League alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, there is a massive stumbling block that would prevent the transfer from occurring. The Spaniard and his wife would reportedly prefer to stay in their homeland and play in La Liga, with Real Betis and Valencia allegedly interested in signing him.