Liverpool will be concerned to learn that a club from the Saudi Pro League have been holding talks for their talisman Mohamed Salah – and are also interested in a second key member of Arne Slot’s squad, according to reports.
Salah is into the final year of his contract with Liverpool, so the Saudi Pro League is on alert after previously trying to place him at Al-Ittihad. According to the latest updates, though, his destination could be a different club in the Middle East.
CaughtOffside claims that Al-Ahli have opened talks with Salah’s representatives in an attempt to set up a deal for the 32-year-old.
They would be willing to tie Salah down to a three-year contract, which would contain a renewal option for another 12 months.
And to add to the alarm, the report also warns that Al-Ahli are interested in signing Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk – also into the last year of his contract – as well. It’s said that the Saudi side are ‘closely monitoring’ the defender and would seemingly be happy with one or the other – or both.
Van Dijk, 33, would be in line to receive the same length of contract offer as Salah, although it is not yet clear what kind of salary would be presented to either of them.
A move to Al-Ahli would see Salah and/or Van Dijk reunite with former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino.
Will Liverpool stars move to Saudi Arabia?
The prospect of Salah being lured to the Saudi Pro League has been concerning Liverpool for a while. Learning that Van Dijk could go there too will no doubt be a worrying update.
However, the report stresses that both players are prioritising new deals at Liverpool for the time being – though they would seemingly be open to moving to the Saudi Pro League if those negotiations do not reach a desired conclusion.
Salah has also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain as a potential next club should he wish to remain in Europe, while Van Dijk is unlikely to be short of suitors either.
For now, it is up to Liverpool to try and convince Salah and Van Dijk to refresh their terms, especially before they become eligible to sign pre-contract deals elsewhere in the New Year.
However, sources have warned of an increasing acceptance within Anfield that Salah could run his deal down, which has led to the creation of a shortlist of replacements, including names like Bryan Mbeumo, Takefusa Kubo, Karim Adeyemi and Leroy Sane, of Brentford, Real Sociedad, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich respectively.
Liverpool make contract progress with different player
In addition to Salah and Van Dijk, Liverpool are tasked with drafting up a new deal that will prevent vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold from leaving at the end of the season.
But the latest news suggests the player Liverpool are closest to renewing the contract of is not one of the three whose deals expire in 2025.
Instead, reports indicate that Liverpool are ready to enter talks with defender Ibrahima Konate about an update to his contract, which is due to run until 2026.
In other Liverpool news, Slot’s side have been linked with Midtjylland winger Dario Osorio, but could face competition from Manchester United and Real Madrid.
How much do Salah and Van Dijk earn?
One of the main benefits of moving to Saudi Arabia for players of Salah and Van Dijk’s pedigree is the lucrative salaries that would be on offer.
For example, their former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane, now at Al-Nassr, is the fifth highest-paid player in the league, taking home nearly £650,000 per week.
That comfortably eclipses what Salah earns at Liverpool – and the base £350,000 per week he is paid is already the biggest salary in the Premier League club’s history.
Van Dijk, meanwhile, is Liverpool’s second highest earner in the current squad, on a salary of £220,000 per week.
Both players have earned themselves more lucrative deals as their Liverpool careers have progressed. Salah, signed in 2017, originally earned £120,000 per week from Liverpool, while 2018 addition Van Dijk was initially paid £180,000 per week.
Chances are they could earn even more in Saudi Arabia, but both are still proving to be playing at a high level and could consider continuing their careers with Liverpool still as they await negotiations.
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