"There is a stage where they can't turn it down" - Jamie Carragher claims Liverpool must accept bid for Mo Salah if they receive £200m fee
Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool should accept an offer for Mohamed Salah if it hits £200 million. He claims that the fee is ridiculous and cannot be rejected but does not understand why they left it late in the window.
Al Ittihad have pushed for Salah this week and made this first bid on Friday, September 1. Liverpool were quick to reject the deal as they were not interested in selling their prized asset on deadline day.
David Ornstein has reported that the bid was £100 million-plus ad-ons, while Ben Jacobs claimed that the total package was worth £150 million. Carragher believes the Reds need to accept the offer if they are given £200 million. He said on Sky Sports:
"When you look at what Harry Kane went for, about £100m, and he is a year or two younger but he only had a year to go on his deal at Spurs. Salah has two years to go, he looks after himself really well. For Liverpool to sell now, they aren't going to want what he is worth, they will want more than that."
He added:
"He wouldn't be worth £150m without the Saudi market, probably closer to £100m. But why have they left it so late? If they wanted him so badly, and they were prepared to spend the money, why didn't they do it six months ago when they might have got him?"
Carragher admitted that while £200 million is a big fee, it is too late in the window for Liverpool to be able to replace Salah. Hence, he believes the Reds would have considered the offer if it had come earlier this summer:
"It is up to L'pool and it is up to Salah, he may not want to go. I think even for supporters who love him and don't want him to move, if that number keeps going up and up, there is a stage where they can't turn it down, and that would be £200m."
He added:
"I don't think it will [now]. It could have been a toss of a coin four to six weeks ago but it's very late in the window. It would put Liverpool in a position where they couldn't replace him straightaway and may have to wait until January."
Salah has scored 187 goals and provided 81 assists in 308 games since arriving at Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017. He has started this season well, registering one goal and two assists in three games.
Jurgen Klopp denies any offer for Liverpool star Mohamed Salah
Earlier on Friday, Jurgen Klopp insisted that Liverpool have not received any offer for Mohamed Salah.
He said (via Fabrizio Romano):
"The position remains the same absolutely. That's how it is. Nothing else to say. No offer as far as I know."
Al-Ittihad launched their first bid just hours after Klopp's press conference. They had their offer knocked back immediately and are looking to get back with a fresh bid.
The Saudi Arabian window shuts on September 7, as per the league's official website. However, FIFA have listed September 20 as the deadline for the Saudi Pro League.