Jurgen Klopp Urged to Consider Al Ittihad’s Staggering £215 Million Bid for Mo Salah
Jurgen Klopp, the seasoned manager of Liverpool FC, finds himself at the crossroads as Al Ittihad, a prominent club in the Saudi Pro League, persists in its pursuit of Mohamed Salah. The relentless saga began with a staggering £150 million offer from Al Ittihad, which Liverpool promptly rejected. Now, reports suggest that the Saudi club has returned with an even more audacious bid that could redefine the football transfer market.
The Daily Mail has unveiled that Al Ittihad has tabled a mind-boggling £215 million deal for the Egyptian forward. The offer comprises an initial sum of £170 million, with the potential to swell to £215 million through performance-related add-ons. If this mammoth sum materializes, it would obliterate the existing transfer record, eclipsing the £198 million that PSG paid Barcelona for Neymar in 2017.
Adding a layer of urgency to the situation, a delegation from Al Ittihad touched down in the UK on Monday night, with hopes of sealing the deal before the closure of the Saudi Pro League transfer window, slated for Thursday.
Salah’s enticement doesn’t end with a jaw-dropping transfer fee. Reports suggest that the player has been offered a staggering weekly wage of £2.45 million, complemented by lucrative incentives. These incentives include a substantial percentage of shirt sales, a £55,000 win bonus, and ambassadorial roles with at least three major Saudi companies throughout the duration of his contract. Collectively, these additional incentives could translate to an extra £18 million, with each firm willing to fork out £6 million for Salah’s ambassadorship.
Despite the mounting allure of Al Ittihad’s offer, Jurgen Klopp has remained steadfast in his stance that Salah is not for sale this summer. Following Liverpool’s weekend victory over Aston Villa, Klopp emphatically stated, “I’ve never had, and I don’t have now, doubts about his future, his commitment to this club.” Klopp seemed unfazed by the global frenzy surrounding Salah’s potential departure, declaring, “He’s our player, he wants to play here and that’s it.”
However, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has acknowledged the gravity of Al Ittihad’s bid, admitting that a sum as substantial as this would be hard for the club to decline. Carragher commented, “It is up to Liverpool and it is up to Salah, he may not want to go. I think even for supporters who love him and don’t want him to move, if that number keeps going up and up, there is a stage where they can’t turn it down, and that would be £200 million.”
As the deadline looms and the football world watches with bated breath, the fate of Mohamed Salah and Liverpool’s resolve hang in the balance, poised for a historic decision that could reshape the footballing landscape.