Liverpool: Al-Ittihad plan to save £80m on Salah transfer amid claims he is ‘not world class’

Al-Ittihad will offer around £70m to take Mohamed Salah away from Liverpool in the summer transfer window, according to reports.

The Reds rejected a £150m offer from the Saudi Pro League club last summer with Liverpool making it clear that he wasn’t for sale at any price.

Al-Ittihad attempt to make an £80m saving on last summer’s offer

There were rumours that Al-Ittihad were prepared to offer as much as £200m to get a deal over the line but no other offers were made despite reports of a second bid.

Salah has scored 209 goals in 340 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool since joining the Premier League club in 2017 and he’s kept up his form this campaign with 23 goals and 12 assists.

A report yesterday claimed that new Liverpool footballing chief Michael Edwards, who returned to the club earlier this year, is ‘ready to sanction Salah’s exit’ if the Egyptian ‘makes it clear he is ready to make the move to the Middle East’ with Nico Williams, Pedro Neto and Florian Wirtz all named as potential replacements.

And now talkSPORT claim that Liverpool are ‘bracing for a fresh approach from Saudi Arabia’ for Salah with the 31-year-old entering the final 12 months of his contract at the end of the season.

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As well as Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal ‘are also interested, with Salah likely to be the subject of an offer worth in excess of £70million this summer, due to the star 12 months closer to the end of his contract.’

A three-year deal is ‘on the table’ from the Saudi clubs with claims Salah can expect to earn around the same as ‘Neymar’s reported £138million yearly packet’.

Despite that, talkSPORT add that the Liverpool forward ‘is understood to be open to seeing out the final year of his contract and the Saudis would be willing to wait another year.’

Salah’s performances have not been particularly impressive in recent weeks with the Egyptian hooked off against Sheffield United as they struggled to break down the Blades in a 3-1 win.

Paul Ince reveals what Mohamed Salah is ‘not great’ at

And former Liverpool and Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince has questioned whether Salah is a world-class performer.

Ince told talkSPORT: “Is he a world class goalscorer? Yes. I think his record speaks for itself. Is he a world class player, technically? I wouldn’t say so.

“I think sometimes when he cuts in on his left foot, putting balls into the box, they are not great. But as a far as a world-class player scoring goals and making things happen, I think yes.”