Jurgen Klopp has reiterated his call for FIFA to take action and facilitate a rule change in the Saudi Pro League, in response to the recent reports of Al Ittihad’s pursuit of Mo Salah.
Four integral members of Klopp’s successful Liverpool squad, which secured victories in the Champions League and Premier League, have transitioned to the Saudi Pro League.
Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, and Sadio Mane have all departed European football for new opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
“There’s nothing there. If there would be something the answer would be no.” ❌
Jurgen Klopp insists Mo Salah is not for sale. 💰 pic.twitter.com/h0lBcX6uhO
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 25, 2023
Salah has previously been linked with joining Fabinho, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante at champions Al Ittihad and on Thursday reports claimed that the club had reignited their interest.
Sportzonestated that the two parties have an agreement for a three-year deal, while the uber reliable David Ornstein ofThe Athletichas described the interest as “concrete”.
Salah appears to be the prime target for the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, and the focus is now on how the situation will develop in the coming days.
Klopp has previously expressed his reservations regarding the discrepancy in transfer window closing dates between Saudi Arabia and Europe. While Premier League clubs have until September 1 to finalize deals, Saudi clubs have until September 20.
This time gap raises the potential scenario where Salah could depart for Al Ittihad after the Premier League’s deadline, leaving Liverpool without the opportunity to acquire a replacement.
In response to the recent developments, Klopp is once again expressing his dissatisfaction with this situation and has drawn parallels to a similar circumstance that occurred in Russia a few years ago.
“I understand 100%, that is not comfortable and that it is not cool for us, but that is how it is,” Klopp said in his pre-Newcastle presser, as perLiverpool Echo.
“But if we want a player from, I don’t know, Wigan Athletic (for example), I go there and they tell us the price and we probably pay it. Probably, it depends a little bit but not just us, big clubs in football.
“The Bundesliga is like that if Bayern comes or Dortmund then Bielefeld or Mainz they cannot react but there is a next level now yes, definitely and it is not great.
“I think this is part of the business and I am not sure if you can change that or if someone will change that but what makes it from a specific moment makes it not possible to deal with is our transfer window closes and the other transfer window stays open, so if they do not stop now then how can we react? We have a squad together now for the season that we try to keep together until next week [after the transfer window shuts].
“From that moment we play until the first of January and this is our squad. That is what everyone is used to. And now we have that problem. We had it in the past with Russia if I remember right, it was a long time ago, thankfully, but they had a different transfer window and could still come [for players] but that was not completely crazy money.”
Saudi clubs have completely taken over the market, offering eye-watering wages and acquiring a plethora of household names.
But Klopp believes FIFA have the capacity to step in and make the necessary change to ensure a degree of fairness.
He added: “It is new, it’s challenging for everybody and we have to learn to deal with it, that is what I would say.
“But the authorities should make clear that if you want to be part of the system then you do your business at the same time like all the others at least.
“If we cannot change the rest then let’s change that. I am pretty sure FIFA could do it like this (clicks fingers). I am not sure they want to but they could.”
Salah signed a three-year contract worth £350,000 per week last summer and his agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, has stressed that he is happy on Merseyside.
Since joining from Roma for £34.3 million back in 2017, the Egyptian has scored 187 goals in 307 matches for Liverpool, winning Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Community Shield and the FIFA Club World Cup.