Al-Ittihad expected to return with increased offer for Mohamed Salah
By
Daryl Finch
Daryl Finch
Liverpool are bracing themselves for an improved offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad for star forward Mohamed Salah.
Ben Jacobs reports that the Saudi side are expected to up their bid to £175m, with sources "adamant they will try again" to reunite Salah with former teammate Fabinho.
Meanwhile, the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle claims that Al Ittihad are actually prepared to be up to £200m, after seeing their initial "verbal offer" for the Egyptian rejected.
That offer, as reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, was worth "in excess of £100m plus substantial add-ons" but was rejected out of hand by Liverpool director Mike Gordon on Thursday night.
Not for sale
Salah, who signed a new three-year contract of around £350,000 per week last summer, has two years left to run on his current deal but Ornstein reports that Liverpool "consider the case closed" and are adamant that the 31-year-old won't be sold this summer – especially given that there would be no time to find a replacement.
Speaking on Friday at his press conference to preview Sunday's clash with Aston Villa, coach Jürgen Klopp reiterated this.
"The position remains the same, absolutely," he told reporters, before going on to deny knowledge of any offer. "That's how it is. Nothing else to say. No offer as far as I know."
Saudi window remains open
While Liverpool may consider the case closed, the fact that the Saudi transfer window remains open beyond 1 September – and that a contract that would put him among the very highest-paid footballers on the planet is on the table – means speculation is not likely to end this week.
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