Al-Ittihad has already ‘drawn up’ an extraordinary $249m (£200m/€233m) contract for transfer target and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, according to The Athletic.
The Saudi Pro League side tried to sign him from the Reds this summer, but failed with an offer of $125m (£100m/€116m) up front and $62m (£50m/€58m) in add-ons.
The Saudi transfer deadline passed by on Thursday without a further offer, but Al-Ittihad is refusing to give up and intends to make a fresh approach in 2024.
The club, which is managed by former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo and already has Real Madrid icon Karim Benzema and Chelsea legend N’Golo Kanté on its books, not to mention Fabinho, is prepared to pay Salah $249m over three years.
That equates to $83m per year, or $1.6m per week, so no wonder the report states that ‘money is no object’ for Al-Ittihad, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Unless Liverpool can agree an extension, Salah will be entering the final year of his contract come the summer of 2024, potentially giving the Reds a final opportunity to make a nine-figure sale before the player can walk for free.
The 31-year-old has started the season in strong form by scoring two goals and providing two assists in his first four matches, and he’s now either found the net or set one up in his last 10 Premier League matches, the first player to do so since surpassing that benchmark himself in 2021.
Liverpool new boy scores hat-trick in rout
New Liverpool signing Trey Nyoni scored a hat-trick as Liverpool’s under-18s thrashed Southend United 10-0 in a friendly on Friday.
Nyoni, a 16-year-old attacking midfielder who joined the Reds from Leicester City last month, bagged a treble against the youngsters from the National League side, and marked the occasion with a post on Twitter — where he simply said “first hattrick.” Hopefully there are indeed more to come.
Kareem Ahmed and Afolami Onanuga each scored twice, with Wellity Lucky and Ranel Young also finding the net to help Liverpool reach double figures.
It’s been a mixed start to the season for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side, who have beaten Nottingham Forest 4-2 and Derby County 2-0 either side of a heavy 4-1 defeat at the hands of Leeds United, leaving them fourth in the northern section of the under-18 Premier League.
They will next be in action away to Blackburn Rovers on 16 September, shortly before the senior side takes on Wolves at Molineux.
