Mohamed Salah reportedly received an offer worth £1.5m-a-week to join Al-Ittihad in a deal that could've made him one of the highest-paid footballers of all time.
According to James Pearce of The Athletic, Salah's head was turned by the dizzying offer as the Saudi Pro League champions launched an offer to snap him up on deadline day. However, he was unwilling to tarnish his legacy by asking to leave the club so late in the transfer window, due to which he left the offer in Liverpool's hands.
Al-Ittihad's bid worth in excess of £100m was swiftly turned down by the Reds, with FSG president Mike Gordon informing the Saudi club that Salah was not for sale this summer. The report also states that Al-Ittihad haven't given up hope of singing Salah and are prepared to pay up to £200m to sign the most popular Arab footballer on the planet currently.
Bankrolled by Saudi's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Al-Ittihad are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of Salah, who has entered the penultimate year of his current Liverpool deal. The Reds stood firm on their stance and rejected enormous money for a player who is set to turn 32 in 2024, but the story could be different 12 months from now.
The Athletic have also confirmed that Salah's agent, Ramy Abbas, held talks with a Saudi delegation in Dubai earlier this year. Al-Ittihad wouldn't have submitted an official offer for the Egyptian if they didn't receive encouragement from his camp, indicating that Salah is interested in a move to Saudi at some point in the future.
The European transfer window may have slammed shut, but Saudi Arabian clubs are allowed to sign players until 7 September. Liverpool's 'not for sale' stance is clear as day, but Al-Ittihad could well test the Reds' resolve with another massive bid for Salah as they aim to add to their riches this summer.