Liverpool are open to selling Mohamed Salah, with the Egyptian potentially reuniting with Darwin Nunez at Al Hilal. This comes after Salah was given a shocking interview in the mixed zone at Elland Road following Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United in the Premier League. Salah is an unused substitute for the second time in the Reds’ last three games.
Salah then announced his intention to leave the club in the January transfer window if manager Arne Slott remains, causing shock throughout the league. The 33-year-old declared he felt “thrown under the bus” by Slott and the club and said his relationship with the much-criticized manager had broken down.
BBC Sport reported that people with knowledge of the situation believe Salah’s comments were not an exaggeration and that their relationship has truly broken down. It is added that Salah has no future at Anfield as Slott is still in charge at the moment.
And Liverpool are said to be open to all possibilities as the January deadline approaches. Simone Inzaghi’s Al Hilal are one of the clubs interested from the Saudi Professional League, but there are no serious talks at the moment as Salah has to worry about the African Cup of Nations with Egypt first. He will depart for the mid-season tournament after next Saturday’s game against Brighton at Anfield.
However, Saudi league leaders Al Hilal already signed Nunez from Liverpool in the summer for a fixed fee of £46 million. That figure could rise further to £66m. It is unclear how much the Merseyside club will charge for Salah’s £400,000-a-week wages, but their position may have weakened as his interview was so explosive that it was clear he was leaning toward leaving.
Salah said: “I will always support this club. My children will always support me. I love this club very much and I will continue to do so. To be fair, it (the situation) is unacceptable to me. I don’t understand it.”
“I don’t think I’m the problem. I’ve done a lot for this club. I told[my family]to come to the Brighton game. I don’t know if I’ll play or not, but I’m going to enjoy it. In my head, I’m going to enjoy the game, because you don’t know what’s going to happen now.”
“I’m going to say goodbye to the fans and go to Anfield to go to the African Cup of Nations. You never know what’s going to happen when you’re there.”
Asked if a move to Saudi Arabia would be possible in the winter, Salah replied: “I don’t want to answer this question because the club intends to take me in a different direction.”
“I’m not saying it’s impossible[to improve the situation]but my feeling is that I’ve done a lot for the club and I love the fans and the club very much, but I don’t know what will happen next.”
Slott will likely be grilled about the situation when he sits before reporters at a press conference on Monday. Liverpool face Inter Milan at the San Siro in the Champions League on Tuesday night, but there are serious doubts as to whether Salah will travel to Italy with his teammates for a match the Reds desperately need to win.
