Mohamed Salah is the latest star to be target by Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ittihad prepared to make him the ‘highest paid player on the planet’… and the club are confident Liverpool striker wants to make the move

Al-Ittihad wants to sign Mohamed Salah from Liverpool and make him the best played player in the Saudi Pro League.

As Spanish media Relevo revealed on Thursday, the club are confident the player wants to join but face a battle to get him out of Liverpool with just a week left of the European transfer window and two years left on his contract .

Salah would join Karim Benzema if he made the move. And he would become a direct rival to Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, eclipsing the £175 million per season world record signed by the Portuguese last year.

The Spanish publication also claims the Egypt international wants to leave the Anfield club, and that his entourage has met with Al-Ittihad officials in Dubai to clarify their intentions to make him the highest-paid player in the league.

It reports that the player’s religious beliefs are an important part of his thinking, with Islam being the official religion of Saudi Arabia.

Reports indicate that Al-Ittihad has already met with the player’s entourage in Dubai to discuss a move

Jurgen Klopp has been openly critical of the fact that the Saudi Pro League transfer window closes three weeks after the Premier League.

However, signing the player from Liverpool will certainly not be easy with the Premier League season already underway.

With the Premier League’s transfer deadline set for Friday, September 1, Liverpool will have very little time to replace their talisman, even if they receive an offer that could entice them to sell.

Relevo’s revelation that the player is eager to make a move stands in stark contrast to his agent’s comments earlier in the window, amid previous interest from Saudi Arabia.

Reports of interest in Salah from Saudi Arabia began to emerge earlier in August, with claims that Al-Ittihad would offer Salah around £155 million in wages over two seasons.

However, Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas Issa said the winger remains committed to Liverpool.

He wrote on Twitter: ‘Had we considered leaving LFC this year we would not have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC.’

Salah still has two years on his current contract with Liverpool, which he signed last year.

Should Salah make the switch, Al-Ittihad – the reigning Saudi Arabian champions – will likely have the best squad in the division, joining Ballon d’Or incumbent Benzema, ex-Celtic star N’Golo Kante Jota and former Liverpool team. mate Fabinho, led by Nuno Espirito Santo.

Salah will see old teammate Fabinho (right) already out for Al-Ittihad if he makes the move

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has openly criticized the Premier League closing earlier than Saudi Arabia’s, making it more difficult for English clubs to replace stars from abroad at the end of the summer.

“One of the worst things, if I’m not mistaken, is that the Saudi Arabian market will hold for another three weeks. UEFA or FIFA should fix this,” he said.

A move from Salah could aid Saudi Arabia’s hopes of a Pro League side winning the Club World Cup at the end of the year, cementing their place in the final after winning the competition last season.

However, to do so they will have to fend off European champions Manchester City for the FIFA crown.