Michael Emenalo - the director of football of the fast-growing Saudi Pro League - has warned Liverpool that clubs in the Middle East have not ended their interest in Mohamed Salah.
The 31-year-old was subject to intense transfer speculation during the latter stages of the summer window, with the Reds rejecting a £150m bid from Al-Ittihad for the attacker.
Salah joined the Anfield club from Roma in June 2017 and has since gone on to cement himself as one of Liverpool's greatest players in the Premier League era, scoring 188 goals in 309 appearances.
The Egyptian has commenced the 2023-24 term in good form, making the net ripple on two occasions and providing two assists in his opening quartet of league starts.
Despite not being able to recruit Salah to the riches of the Pro League this summer, the league's director of football Emenalo has stated that the attacker could very well make the switch to the Middle East in the future.
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"First and foremost, Salah is one of the best players on the planet. I have said before, privately and publicly that we welcome anybody that wants to come to the Saudi Pro League. That includes Salah," Emenalo told Sky Sports News on Friday.
"But we have to do things in a very professional and respectful manner. That is what we are there for, it is what the Saudi Pro League has been refined to do – bring professionalism, respect of efficiencies, and do things in a competent way.
"If it did not happen, it is not because we no longer fancy the player, or because we have a problem with Liverpool. It is because certain things that need to align did not.
"Nobody is angry, we move on, but we close no doors and if the opportunity is there to do things and do it well, and it brings Mo Salah to the Saudi Pro League, we will be very grateful."
Former Nigeria international Emenalo is responsible for approving of all of the transfers that occur involving Pro League clubs, meaning that he has witnessed the influx of players to Saudi Arabia first-hand this summer.
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Karim Benzema, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo all now ply their trade in the Middle East, with European football experiencing its largest exodus of talent since the brief rise of the Chinese Super League in 2016.
Salah remains at Liverpool until January at least, with the winger recently signing a new long-term deal at Anfield, where he is now contracted until the summer of 2025.
A weekly wage of £350,000 means that the former Chelsea man is the highest-paid player in the Merseyside club's history, being rewarded for helping the team to domestic and European crowns during a six-year spell in England.
It has been reported that Al-Ittihad offered in excess of £200m for Salah late in the window, however with the Pro League's transfer business ending on Thursday night, Nuno Espirito Santo will be unable to work with the attacker until January at the earliest.
Liverpool and Salah will be looking to extend their unbeaten run at the beginning of the Premier League season when they travel to a struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers side on September 16.
Carter White
