Liverpool were never going to sell Mohamed Salah this summer

Reports constantly claimed Salah would join Al-Ittihad but they were proven wrong. Why?

Liverpool were never going to sell Mohamed Salah to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad this summer, right? If you had read articles from a range of football websites and news sources or listened to podcasts with “football experts” then you would have believed Salah was bound for Saudi Arabia. Why wouldn’t he?   

Footballers are greedy and want as much money as possible, or so fans are led to believe. Liverpool had already sold Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabian clubs in the summer. Of course, Salah was next. He would not only be able to reconnect with Henderson and Fabinho, but Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, Salah’s former forward line partners, play in the Kingdom, too.   

Salah is Liverpool’s highest wage earner at £350,000 per week, or £18.2 million a season. He signed his current contract just over 12 months ago, tying him down for a further three seasons. Even with the Egyptian over 30, the stats indicate that Salah isn’t slowing down. With Saudi Pro League teams trying to lure top players away from Premier League clubs, Salah’s age and star power made sense for Al-Ittihad to approach him.   

From the start, Liverpool were unwilling to sell the forward. Even when reports claimed Al-Ittihad would pay £150m for Salah, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said the answer to a sale was ‘no’. Despite constant reports claiming otherwise up to the final day of the Saudi Pro League transfer window, Liverpool were unwilling to sell their most prized asset.   

Since arriving from Roma in 2017 for an incredibly low fee of £36.9m, Salah has been consistently one of the world’s best players. Salah scored 188 goals in 309 matches for Liverpool while adding 81 assists. His goal numbers are just one reason Liverpool weren’t ready to negotiate a deal. Salah’s situation is very much different to the one Henderson and Fabinho had at Anfield.   

Henderson is one of Liverpool’s all-time great captains. But at 33, he likely saw the writing on the wall. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister had already signed by the time Henderson departed. Henderson would likely have rotated with Fabinho in midfield, giving the two younger and more dynamic new signings more time on the pitch. Henderson would have moved into the role James Milner previously occupied, seeing limited time on the pitch but a leader in the dressing room.   

Fabinho had his worst season in a Liverpool shirt last term and was a shell of his former self. The Brazilian turns 30 in October but already showed signs of slowing down. Selling him to Al-Ittihad for the same amount the club paid for him in 2018 was a coup.   

Salah’s importance and value to Liverpool is far greater than that of an ageing Henderson and Fabinho. The Egyptian already has two goals and two assists in four Premier League matches. Once again, there is no evidence of Salah slowing down.   

Had Liverpool sold him, there was no guarantee they would have signed an adequate replacement. Nor is there evidence that any of the current forwards could step in for Salah right away.   

Last season, Liverpool earned £151.6m in prize money for finishing fifth in the Premier League. If the club finishes in sixth place or higher this season, they will earn roughly the same if not more in prize money. That is nearly the same amount that Al-Ittihad offered for Salah. This means Salah is worth just as much, if not more, to the club by remaining at Anfield.  

For now, Liverpool are in the Premier League title race after taking 10 points from four games. Only Manchester City have more points than Liverpool after four matches. If the Reds are to sustain a title fight this campaign, then Salah is paramount to it.   

With Liverpool’s hierarchy now knowing that Al-Ittihad may reignite their interest in Salah next summer, pieces can be put in place to sign a replacement over the next few months. Liverpool also must address their defensive issues, as a new centre-back, or two will be needed in the summer of 2024.   

The most recent transfer window saw the club dedicated to rebuilding the midfield, which they did. Szoboszlai has been phenomenal and is the high-energy midfielder the club needed. Mac Allister has also played well and is second in progressive passes behind Andrew Robertson. Wataru Endo has brought leadership and shown himself to be an adequate defensive midfield replacement for Fabinho.   

Then, there is Ryan Gravenberch, who joined the club just before the transfer window closed from Bayern Munich. A No. 8, Gravenberch was on Liverpool’s radar for years before signing. He made a name for himself at Ajax, playing under Erik ten Hag. He will add more quality depth to the Liverpool midfield, which already had Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, and Stefan Bajcetic. There is also Thiago, who could still play an important role this season if he can stay fit.   

Were Liverpool ever going to sell Mohamed Salah this summer? No, they weren’t. He is too valuable for the club to sell without finding an adequate replacement in time. That doesn’t mean the Reds won’t sell Salah next summer if Al-Ittihad offer £100m or more for the Egyptian. Selling Salah next summer could enable the club to rebuild further when new defensive players are needed.