REVEALED: Why Mohamed Salah Turned Down Saudi League Move with Cristiano Ronaldo

• Mohamed Salah was one of the high-profile players tempted to join Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi League
• Despite the lucrative contract on offer, Salah opted to stay at Liverpool instead of moving to the Gulf country
• The 32-year-old's current deal with the Reds is set to expire next summer, but the Merseyside club are keen to extend his contract

Saudi Pro League director of football Michael Emenalo has offered insights into why the competition was unable to secure Mohamed Salah’s signature despite high expectations.

The Egyptian forward was heavily linked with a move to Al-Ittihad, joining Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Neymar in the wave of top-tier players migrating to the Middle East.

Mohamed Salah turned down a lucrative offer to join Saudi Pro League's Al-Ittihad last summer. Photo by Carl Recine.
Source: Getty Images

Salah rejects Saudi League

However, despite a substantial offer from the Saudi club, Liverpool turned down the proposal, and Salah did not push for an exit from Anfield, even with the lucrative deal on the table, the BBC reports.

Since then, Salah has rediscovered his mojo, playing a pivotal role in guiding Liverpool to the top of the Premier League standings after seven matches this season under Arne Slot.

His decision to remain at the club has paid off, as he continues to be an integral part of their success.

Why did Salah reject the Saudi League?

Explaining why the move to Saudi Arabia didn't materialise, Emenalo pointed out that Salah still had important goals to achieve with Liverpool.

He also emphasised that the club’s reluctance to part ways with their star was a key factor.

"Fundamentally, Liverpool didn’t want to sell, and what price were we willing to buy at? We don’t want to buy at a ridiculous amount. "The most important part is if the player is ready to come. I didn’t feel the player was ready to come because he felt like he had unfinished business," Emenalo revealed, as quoted by Sportskeeda.

Mohamed Salah's performance at Liverpool

Since his arrival at Liverpool in 2017, Salah has evolved into a club legend.

According to Transfermarkt, his contributions have been remarkable, with 217 goals and 94 assists in 359 appearances across all competitions.

He has also been instrumental in the Reds’ success, helping them secure eight major trophies, including a Champions League title and a Premier League crown.

Salah becomes greatest African scorer in UCL

In an earlier report by Legit.ng, it was highlighted that Mohamed Salah cemented his legacy with a historic goal for Liverpool in the Champions League.

Salah’s strike against Bologna secured his position as the top African goalscorer in the competition's history.

The Egyptian forward achieved this remarkable milestone after representing FC Basel, Chelsea, AS Roma, and Liverpool in Europe’s elite tournament.

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Source: YEN.com.gh