Liverpool were ultimately thankful to the Saudi Arabian sides during last summer’s transfer window.
The Reds may not have been happy to lose either Fabinho and Jordan Henderson at the time, but their exits paved the way for a greater rebuild at Anfield.
It also meant that Liverpool were injected with another £50m or so from the two deals. With a lot of surgery needing to be done to the first-team squad, that was very welcome.
The Reds were also ultimately able to stave off interest in Mohamed Salah as well as a tentative play for Luis Diaz. While the overtures were unsettling, Liverpool didn’t do too badly from the Saudi Pro League takeover.
This year, it remains to be seen if there are any further surprise departures from Anfield. But with the Saudi sides going nowhere, Liverpool could be about to feel the sharp edge of their extreme wealth for the first time.
Al Nassr could be about to make Alisson offer
As we head into the meat of the summer window, the rumours surrounding Salah have gone especially quiet.
It does seem as though the likes of Al Hilal may have accepted defeat in their pursuit of the Egyptian for another year.
Instead of Salah then, the main thrust of gossip about Liverpool players moving to the Middle East have come in regards to Alisson Becker.
Alisson is reportedly a target for more than one Saudi club this summer. Although he’s a huge player for the Reds, there is seemingly still a danger that the 31-year-old could leave.
READ MORE: Could Steven Gerrard try and target Alisson Becker as a signing for Al Ettifaq
Anxiety that this may now come to pass looked set to be eased this week, as one of the PIF funded clubs, Al Nassr, readied a move for Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
With Szczesny on the way, Al Hilal boasting Bono between the sticks and Al Ahli already employing Edouard Mendy, it moved Alisson another step further away from the Saudi project.
But in an update on Wednesday evening, journalist Santi Aouna reported that the higher-ups at Al Nassr were looking to block the Szczesny deal and bring a different ‘keeper in instead.
“Guido Fienga, the director of football of Al-Nassr, is pushing to seal the deal of Wojciech Szczesny,” writes Aouna. “But the club officers of Al-Nassr want another names at this position.”
Alisson could be Wojciech Szczesny alternative
Obviously, this is not a concrete admission that Al Nassr will move to try and sign Alisson. However, with the Brazil international clearly on their radar, it is a concern.
Ironically, Alisson was memorably Szczesny’s back-up at Roma when they played together in 2016/17.
With the Polish shot-stopper then moving on to Juventus, Alisson assumed the number one spot before moving to Liverpool are year later.
If the likes of the Reds goalie are definitively not available, then Szczesny would be a good option for the Saudis. The worry will be that they’re dragging their feet because they still hope to get Alisson.
Man City’s Ederson is also said to be of interest, though, and an exit for the City first-choice could hand Liverpool a title advantage. Only if they keep Alisson, however.
Let’s hope Fienga makes his case and pushes ahead for Szczesny, otherwise trouble could be brewing.