LIVERPOOL: Mohamed Salah is reportedly getting closer to joining Al-Ittihad after the Saudi Arabian club reportedly managed to reach an agreement that several other clubs failed to finalize.
According to a report by Turkiye, Sabah media, Al-Ittihad is prepared to offer the Egyptian striker a contract worth 21 million pounds per season for the 2026-27 season.
The development comes after Salah’s negotiations with Besiktas reached a deadlock, thus opening the way for Al-Ittihad to accelerate efforts to acquire the former Liverpool star.
Salah left Liverpool at the end of June after agreeing to terminate the remaining year of his contract early.
His previous contract with the Reds was reportedly worth around 400,000 pounds a week, but an increasingly strained relationship with the club, including manager Arne Slot, saw both parties choose different paths.
After that, Salah’s choice of new destinations became increasingly limited as only a few clubs were able to meet the 34-year-old’s financial demands.
Besiktas previously tried to secure Salah’s services with an offer of around 20 million euros per season including bonuses.
The Turkiye club reportedly offered the maximum amount they could provide, but negotiations stalled when the demands from the player’s representatives exceeded their means.
The situation shows that Salah is still attracting the attention of several clubs, but not many can afford his entire financial package.
Al-Ittihad is no stranger to trying to acquire Salah.
The club once submitted a 150 million pound offer to Liverpool in 2023, but it was rejected.
Despite failing at the time, Al-Ittihad never changed its stance because it considered Salah to be one of the most high-profile players in the world who was still capable of making a big impact on the pitch and from a commercial perspective.
Sabah reported that Al-Ittihad offered Salah an annual salary of US$25 million and the player has accepted the offer, while the process of signing the contract is said to be just a matter of time.
Previously, Salah was also linked with several other clubs including San Diego FC and Sporting Kansas City from Major League Soccer (MLS), Fenerbahce as well as several clubs in Italy.
However, financial factors are seen as the main obstacle for any club other than Saudi Arabia to realise the transfer.
If the transfer is confirmed, Al-Ittihad will finally have secured a player they have long been targeting.
For Salah, it offers a guaranteed future, elite player status and lucrative financial rewards.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will be bringing to a close one of the best players in the club’s modern history, who helped the Reds win two Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy as well as being a key pillar of the attacking machine for many years.