Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has drawn renewed attention from clubs in the Saudi Pro League, according to the league’s chief executive, Omar Mugharbel. His comments come as the 33-year-old grapples with growing tensions at Anfield following a public fallout with manager Arne Slot.
Salah was absent from Liverpool’s squad during Tuesday’s 1–0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan, days after he claimed he had been unfairly blamed for the team’s poor form. He also suggested that his relationship with Slot had deteriorated—a claim the manager denied, insisting the attacker could return to the side.
Speaking at the World Football Summit in Riyadh on Wednesday, Mugharbel noted that Salah remains a high-profile target for Saudi clubs. “Mohamed Salah is welcome in the Saudi League, but it is the clubs that are responsible for negotiating with players. For sure, Salah is one of them,” he said.
Speculation about a possible move intensified after reports indicated that Salah, who extended his contract in April for two more years, could depart as early as January 2026. Interest from Saudi Arabia is longstanding: Liverpool famously rejected a £150 million approach from Al-Ittihad in 2023. Mugharbel’s comments mark the first official acknowledgment of continued interest since Salah’s latest controversy.
However, not all voices within Saudi football are aligned. Al-Kholood chairman Ben Harburg dismissed the idea of signing Salah, calling him “a bad fit” for the league and suggesting Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr would be a more suitable marquee option.
“He’s 33 years old, he got paid a boatload at Liverpool and has underperformed massively since then,” Harburg said, adding that clubs should target younger, rising stars instead.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard offered a more conciliatory view, describing Salah’s emotional outburst as something that could still be repaired. Gerrard compared the situation to Luis Suárez’s clash with Brendan Rodgers in 2013.
“He’s obviously really upset he’s not playing, which I respect,” Gerrard said. “A couple of lines about throwing people under the bus were wrong… In time, Mo will go, ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’”
Salah, who joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017, has been central to the club’s recent successes, including two Premier League titles and a Champions League crown. But his current season has been underwhelming, producing four goals in 13 league appearances. Liverpool sit 10th on the table, trailing fourth-placed Crystal Palace by three points.
