Mohamed Salah transfer: Liverpool brace for huge $215 million Al-Ittihad offer before Saudi window closes

If Liverpool hold firm, the situation could change drastically by the next time the Saudi League comes calling for Salah

With a little more than 24 hours to go in the Saudi transfer window, the stakes are ratcheting up for Al-Ittihad. Indeed they could well be drifting into a situation where it is Mohamed Salah or bust as owners the Public Investment Fund (PIF) chase one last splash in the transfer market.

Al-Ittihad remain so focused on securing the signature of Salah that, according to CBS Sports sources, they have not established alternative options to strengthen Nuno Espirito Santo's side. In part that is a reflection of what Liverpool are well aware of; there is no one else in the sport quite like their brilliant Egyptian. It also remains the case that with the wealth of PIF backing them, alternatives can be secured very quickly, particularly in Spain, where Al-Ittihad could simply pay the buyout clause of any target they want. That may come into play as the Saudi champions target a center back with Real Betis' Luiz Felipe still on their radar.

There is no such quick win in the pursuit of Salah. On Friday Liverpool confirmed that they had rejected the major offer for his services that CBS Sports had first revealed earlier that week. That proposal was understood to have constituted around €100 million in guaranteed money with a further €60 million in add-ons, a significant proportion of which were viewed as unlikely to convey. It has since been suggested that a €200 million bid is imminent, but a formal proposal is yet to land on Liverpool's desk. It seems inevitable that it will, not least because Al-Ittihad know that this summer might be the last where they are in pole position to secure the 31-year-old.

Of the four Saudi clubs owned by PIF, Al-Ittihad have been given something of a priority in the final weeks of the window because of the looming Club World Cup in Jeddah, where Nuno Espirito Santo's side will represent the host nation. There is determination within the Saudi Pro League to use that tournament to sell the league as well as a burgeoning desire to be the first team from outside Europe and South America to have a claim to the title of the best team in the world. 

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A 10-man delegation -- including representatives from Al-Ittihad, the state sovereign wealth fund and the ministries of sport and tourism -- travelled from Saudi Arabia to London late last week have been pushing to find a breakthrough with Liverpool. They have so far done so to no avail. Should they fail to do so the Pro League and PIF will still push to secure Salah next summer. There are, however, no guarantees that it will be for Al-Ittihad. If another club were to, for instance, win the Asian Champions League they could expect the same level of prioritization that Nuno's men have got this summer.

It is not just Al-Ittihad who find themselves at a fork in the road. Liverpool's insistence throughout the Salah saga has been that their best player is not for sale. There are those on Merseyside who believe that the club's robust stance has been informed partly by the knowledge that the money will be there for him next year. It is certainly true that one of the highest profile Muslim footballers in the world will always be wanted in the Pro League. However, CBS Sports sources say that the funds on offer this summer may not be replicated in 2024.

Afterall, by then Salah will be 32 years old with 12 months left to run on his contract. Such players don't tend to come with €150 million price tags. Al-Hilal's billion euro bid for Kylian Mbappe is already being viewed as something akin to the scene in Anchorman where a baffled Ron Burgundy reflects on a tête-à-tête that swiftly got out of hand. "Boy that escalated quickly." For the most part Saudi clubs have endeavoured to be disciplined in their fees if not their wages, so far only Al-Hilal have made multiple acquisitions at over the €50 million mark.

If a fee of the same scale is not coming for Liverpool next summer, does that complicate matters? Perhaps not, especially if the powers that be at Anfield conclude that Jurgen Klopp's side are a Champions League qualifier with Salah but not one without him. They will also be asking themselves how much of the windfall they'd get for their best player would have to go out the door in 2024 to replace him. Could the rest of what is a star-studded forward line get Liverpool into the top five, which would likely be enough to get them back in the Champions League? Would there be anyone available who could succeed Salah?

The answer so far to every question Al-Ittihad have asked so far has been a resounding no from Anfield but that has not stopped the Saudi champions yet. Until the window slams shut they will keep asking. They need him almost as much Liverpool do.