As if Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool at the end of the season is bad enough!
And now Liverpool fans will have to deal with the prospect of Mohamed Salah also heading for the exit door in the summer.
Talk of Saudi Arabia started last summer, so suggestions of a transfer when the window opens up again aren’t really a surprise.
But given that two iconic Liverpool figures could leave by the time the new season starts is going to be very difficult for the new manager to deal with, including for the supporters.
Say what you want about Mohamed Salah’s current form. Class is permanent for a reason.
Even during a campaign when the 31-year-old has been away on Africa Cup of Nations duty and has been injured, he has still put up big numbers.
Salah has scored 17 Premier League goals and supplied nine assists from his usual right-flank – one more assist and he joins Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins in double figures for both departments.
Nonetheless, amid this talk of a transfer to the Saudi Pro League, ex-Premier League defender Mario Melchiot had some interesting words to say about the matter, as he told ESPN.
The former Chelsea man expects a bid will come in for the Egypt international and how he has heard that the people of Saudi ‘really like’ Salah.
Given that Salah is a Muslim player, it makes him even more of a popular figure and a bit of an icon in the Arab world.
So, it would make sense to make him a bit of the poster boy for the Saudi Pro League’s project going forward in years to come.
Will Mohamed Salah leave Liverpool?
“I think they will (bid for Salah),” said Melchiot. “I think they will. You would be surprised.
“I think they will because I heard already, when I heard before about them, they really like Salah. Salah is not only just a player that they looked at, but this is also, him, the way he has been idolised, it’s a level that maybe we don’t really understand yet, but at Liverpool, he definitely is because, you know, we don’t have to understand that.
“What I am saying is on a global scale, for the Saudis, yeah, I think they will still look at him and think wow. So, they will put the money down.”
Who will replace Mohamed Salah?
Whilst a lot of talk is about who will replace Klopp at the end of the season – there is talk of Jose Mourinho from Graeme Souness.
The individual or individuals who have to replace Salah – if he leaves – will probably face a tougher test.
The speedster is now one of Liverpool’s greatest-ever players after winning every trophy possible for the Merseyside giants.
His 210 goals and 88 assists – and counting – put him amongst the greats of the club, so more than one player might be needed to fill those shoes.
