Saudi Arabia’s interest in Mohamed Salah has never been a secret. The Pro League’s riches though weren’t enough for him to turn his back on Liverpool.
The Egyptian has ended speculation over his future after signing a new two-year deal with the Reds, keeping him at Anfield until 2027. With his future now decided, Salah will be turning his attention to winning more silverware, with Liverpool on course to be crowned Premier League champion this season.
The new deal will come as a relief to Arne Slot and Liverpool fans, given the uncertainty there has been over Salah’s future, along with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Although the former may not be far behind his teammate in renewing terms, the latter looks to be destined for a move to Real Madrid.
But while supporters will have to put up with those rumors for a little while longer, there is no such concern now for Salah.
The 32-year-old had already cemented his status as a Liverpool legend, but his decision to extend his stay on Merseyside will endear him even more to supporters – especially considering how much money he could have earned had he made the move to Saudi Arabia.
A transfer to the Middle East has been touted for some time now, with Al-Ittihad having first failed with a $196 million bid back in 2023. The interest has never waned though, with Al-Hilal heavily linked this time around, having offloaded Neymar in an apparent attempt to make room for Salah.
(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Not only that, but according to Egyptian journalist Ismael Mahmoud, Salah was set to be offered around $170 million a year to play in Saudi Arabia. That’s over five times what he’s now set to earn at Liverpool, with The Telegraph suggesting he’ll take home around $32.7 million a year at Anfield.
Over the two years of his contract then, Salah will be earning around $65 million – not a bad sum at all, although it is rather dwarfed by the $340 million he could have got in the Middle East, meaning he may have just given up around $275 million in order to stay at Liverpool.
The forward though has made it clear it’s not the money that was a deciding factor in his future, rather his belief that he can carry on winning trophies with Liverpool.
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“If I don’t believe that, I would have not signed,” Salah told Liverpool’s official website. “I believe the team can win trophies. With the support of the fans and the city, and the support they always give us in the games, I believe we can win many trophies in the next years.”
Salah added: “I think I said in the beginning of the season, I just want to win the Premier League more than anything else. I want it so bad, to be fair.
“The fans deserve it — last time we won it we didn’t celebrate it that much. Hopefully we do it this time. There’s still seven games to go, it’s not going to be easy at all because Arsenal are also catching up. We’ll give it our all and hopefully in the end we can win it.”
