Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad reportedly made an eleventh-hour move for Tottenham Hotspur attacker Richarlison after failing in their efforts to sign Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side fought tooth and nail to bring Salah to the Middle East in the final knockings of the summer window and has a £150m bid rejected just before the English window slammed shut.
However, clubs in Saudi Arabia were still free to sign players until Thursday evening, and Al-Ittihad continued talks with Liverpool in the hope of finding an agreement.
Al-Ittihad were supposedly prepared to offer a world-record £200m to prise Salah away from Anfield this summer, but no amount of money could have convinced the Reds to let the 31-year-old leave.
As the Saudi transfer window drew to a close, Al-Ittihad reluctantly conceded defeat in their efforts to sign Salah, and The Telegraph reports that Santo's side turned their attention to Richarlison as a late alternative.
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The former Everton man started the 2023-24 season as Ange Postecoglou's first-choice striker following Harry Kane's move to Bayern Munich, but he has flattered to deceive in North London.
Since departing Goodison Park in the summer of 2022, Richarlison has only managed four goals in 40 appearances for the Lilywhites, in addition to four assists.
The South American failed to find the net in any of his opening three Premier League appearances this season and following an injury scare was dropped for their recent win over Burnley, where Postecoglou's side ran out 5-2 winners.
In his absence, Manor Solomon laid on two assists for hat-trick hero Son Heung-min, but Richarlison remains under contract until 2027 and remains an important part of Postecoglou's plans.
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As such, a move for Richarlison was not expected to materialise before the deadline, although the report adds that Al-Ittihad had left it too late to engage in serious talks anyway.
It is unclear if Al-Ittihad are planning to reignite their interest in Richarlison in future windows, but Santo's side are expected to push again for Salah's signature in 2024, when the Egyptian will only have one year left to run on his contract.
The Saudi Pro League champions had already added Karim Benzema, Jota, Fabinho and N'Golo Kante to their ranks this summer, before recently concluding a late move for ex-Real Betis defender Luiz Felipe.
Richarlison was named in the first XI for Brazil's 5-1 World Cup qualifying win over Bolivia on Saturday, but he came off in the 71st minute without registering a goal or assist.
Ben Knapton
