"He could become an even bigger star out there than Cristiano Ronaldo" - Ex-Liverpool star makes huge Mohamed Salah transfer claim
Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique has made a huge transfer claim involving Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Spaniard believes the 31-year-old could become a bigger superstar than the Portuguese icon if he makes the switch to Saudi Arabia.
There has been much speculation about Mohamed Salah's future at Liverpool. The Egyptian appears to have reached the end of the road at Anfield and it wouldn't be a surprise if he ends up parting ways with the club this summer.
Over the last couple of weeks, he's been linked with a sensational switch to the Saudi Pro League, which already houses many superstars including Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. According to Liverpool Echo, Al Ittihad recently showed interest in the player and were prepared to offer up to £150 million for his services.
Jose Enrique believes that it wouldn't be a bad idea to part ways with Salah for a good offer as he's no longer the same player he was a couple of years ago.
"Mohamed Salah isn’t quite the player he was three years ago," the former Reds star told Grosvenor Sport. "He doesn't take on defenders as much, though he’s still a phenomenal goal-scoring machine. If I were Liverpool, and the right offer came in – say, over £100 million – I’d seriously consider it."
"A move to Saudi Arabia could easily fetch that kind of money. I know Liverpool fans might not agree with me – they love Salah and want all their top players to stay – but sometimes, you have to know when to let go."
Enrique went on to suggest that Mohamed Salah could become even bigger than Cristiano Ronaldo if he moved to Saudi Arabia.
"For instance, I’d renew Virgil van Dijk’s contract without hesitation, but with Salah, there’s the Saudi option, and he could become an even bigger star out there than Cristiano Ronaldo. Last year, there were offers from Saudi Arabia for Salah.
"We all know that when an offer is made, personal terms have likely been agreed upon, so it's clear he’s is open to the idea of moving on from Liverpool," the Spaniard added.
The Egyptian's current contract with Liverpool will expire by the end of next season. It would be a smart move by the club to sell him this summer to avoid losing him on a free transfer next year.
How did Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo fare this season?
It is fair to say that both men had decent outings this season. Mohamed Salah ended the term with 25 goals and 14 assists to his name in 44 appearances across all competitions, winning the League Cup in the process.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, finished as the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League with an impressive 35 goals and 11 assists to his name in 31 games. Overall, he bagged 44 goals and 13 assists for Al Nassr in 45 matches across all fronts but failed to claim silverware.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will be hoping to correct his lack of silverware during the season by leading his country to success at the European Championships this summer.
The forward bagged an incredible brace as Portugal hammered three past Ireland in a friendly game yesterday (June 11), which shows he's ready for the Euros.