Mohamed Salah was ‘ready to leave’ Liverpool this summer and join Al-Ittihad, claims Michail Antonio… as he insists the Egyptian was ‘locked up’ by the Reds and told he would not be allowed to go
- Liverpool battled strong interest from Al-Ittihad to keep Mohamed Salah
- The Reds rejected a £150 million bid from the Saudi champions this month
- Listen to the latest episode of the Mail Sport podcast It all starts!
Michail Antonio has claimed that Mohamed Salah was keen to leave Liverpool this summer amid interest from Saudi Arabia.
One of the biggest stories at the end of the transfer window was Salah‘s future at Anfield after the Reds rejected an initial £150m bid from Saudi champions Al-Ittihad.
Reports suggested they were willing to back down with a £200million bid, but Jurgen Klopp’s side managed to stave off their interest and keep their player until at least January.
During the brief, Klopp repeatedly emphasized that the speculation was none of his business, while Salah remained silent.
And West Ham striker Antonio insisted the Egyptian star – who would have received an annual salary of £100m after tax for three years – was interested in the move, but the Reds outright refused to give him the chance.
Michail Antonio claimed that Mohamed Salah wanted to join Al-Ittihad from Liverpool this summer
Antonio insisted Salah was ‘ready to go’ but the Reds refused to allow an exit
“He absolutely did not reject that,” Antonio told the newspaper Football podcast for football players.
‘He was locked up and the Reds had put that red arrow over it: “You’re not going anywhere.”
‘He didn’t stop that at all. To be fair, he didn’t make a fuss about it and let them do what they did. But I’m sure he was ready to go.”
Despite the exorbitant sums of money on offer in the Middle East, Antonio also argued that Salah had other motivations for his move after six great years at Anfield.
The Egyptian star has scored 188 goals for Liverpool and is fifth in their all-time goalscoring list, having won every trophy available to him at the club.
He added: ‘What else can he do at Liverpool? He did it. It’s (Saudi) a great opportunity for him, he’s a Muslim man and everything was screaming for him.
Al-Ittihad is managed by Nuno Espirito Santo and an initial bid worth £150 million was rejected
Salah is one of Liverpool’s greatest players of all time, having scored 188 goals for the club
‘There was no actual negative point for the man not to go. I understand he has a contract, which he has fulfilled.’
Salah has not been distracted by the speculation. The 31-year-old has scored two goals and provided four assists in his first five games this season as Liverpool remain unbeaten.
However, Mail Sport reported earlier this month that Al-Ittihad believe their bid to sign Salah has merely been put on hold, and that they plan to make another move in the future.
The Reds are back in action on Thursday when they take on Austrian side LASK in the Europa League, before taking on West Ham on Sunday.