Ben Jacobs has suggested that Mo Salah could now call time on his Liverpool career at the end of this season following Jurgen Klopp’s exit announcement.
The German tactician is set to end his spell as manager of the Anfield-based outfit after nine years at the helm.
One of the Reds’ most-prized assets in the Egyptian international could be forfeit, with the Saudi Pro League understood to remain hot on his heels.
“I think there’s more chance of him going now Jurgen Klopp’s gone because it’s a new era,” the reporter spoke talkSPORT’s Deadline Day show.
“Players – Virgil van Dijk half-hinted at it and then backtracked – are going to start wondering whether now’s the time.
“Salah’s at a crossroads. Liverpool are at a crossroads. If Klopp stayed, I think I would have predicted he’d go to Saudi in 2025 and do one more season in Europe.
“But Klopp going now might mean, especially if there’s silverware, Salah goes on a high. The only twist from Saudi’s perspective is it won’t be Al-Ittihad because Al-Ittihad got preference for Salah as the Saudi champions and they were competing in the Club World Cup, so of course you want him to be the poster boy.
“Now they’re seventh in the Saudi Pro League; Al-Hilal are seemingly cruising to the title. So I think that the offer will now come from Al-Hilal (arguably the biggest club, or one of them, in Asia) rather than Al-Ittihad. But the offer will still be around the same number, which will be really difficult for Liverpool to reject – especially if a new manager is thinking ‘I want budget to revamp’.”
The former Roma hitman has been in exceptional form in 2023/24, registering 27 goal contributions in as many games.
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What would be the offer?
We rejected a £150m bid (£100m up front and £50m in potential add-ons) from Al-Ittihad in the summer window (Guardian). Though, there were some reports suggesting the Saudi outfit would have been prepared to breach the £200m mark (Daily Mail).
Either way an offer of between £150-200m is quite the fee to resist potentially for whoever takes over the reins at Anfield. Particularly when one factors in Salah’s contract expiring in 2025.
We’d rather see our No.11 remain with Liverpool for as long as possible (and as long as his body’ll allow).
Though, the bigger picture could see Liverpool’s next head coach go down a different route.