Saudi Arabia hoping to sign Mohamed Salah and 2 other Premier League superstars in 2024 – Reports
The Saudi Pro League has allegedly included Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne and Heung-min Son in their transfer wishlist for next summer.
Saudi Arabian clubs have been busy so far this summer, breaking the bank to sign renowned players like Neymar Jr., Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Fabinho, Riyad Mahrez, and Roberto Firmino. They even launched a £257 million move to snap up Kylian Mbappe this July.
Al-Ittihad, one of the four Saudi clubs funded by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), are currently in pursuit of Salah, with reports of a £171 million bid on the horizon. They are believed to be aiming to lure the 31-year-old forward away from Liverpool on a three-year contract.
According to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Al-Ittihad have not lost hope of signing the Egyptian, with pursuit set to be resumed in the summer of 2024. However, they are likely to face opposition from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who has dismissed these rumors multiple times.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has also drawn up future plans to seal two more Premier League superstars. In addition to Salah, they are keen to add Son and De Bruyne to their growing roster of European footballers.
Son, 31, was thought to be linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League earlier this summer. However, he opted to remain and has also become Tottenham Hotspur's new captain with Hugo Lloris on the bench.
De Bruyne, on the other hand, has been a talisman for Manchester City since his transfer in 2015. He is currently out injured with a hamstring problem after guiding Pep Guardiola's side to a treble last season.
All the aforesaid players' current deals are set to run out in June 2025.
Liverpool great Graeme Souness opines on Saudi transfer saga about Mohamed Salah
In his column for the Daily Mail, Liverpool legend Graeme Souness suggested that Mohamed Salah is open to securing a permanent transfer to Al-Ittihad in the future. He wrote:
"Make no mistake, Salah is flirting with the Saudis. Neither he nor one of his representatives has come out and categorically said, 'We do not want to go to Saudi Arabia at this time'."
Sharing his opinion on the Egyptian's inner wish, Souness concluded:
"If he wanted to stay, someone could have issued a statement to that effect. He is toying with the idea, at the very least. And I think, deep down, he will feel he should go."
Salah has established himself as one of the best forwards in the history of the Anfield outfit since arriving in a £36 million transfer from AS Roma in 2017. He has scored 187 goals and provided 81 assists in 308 games all across competitons for Jurgen Klopp's side.
So far this season, the attacker has scored once in three appearances.