Salah captains Liverpool against LASK Linz and his surprise decision over Saudi Arabia's million offer

Al-Ittihad, Marcelo Gallardo's new team in Saudi Arabia, has no cash flow problems. If he does not sign the players he wants, it is for sporting reasons, never financial. It has plenty of petrodollars to spare. That is why the Jeddah club is ready to do whatever it takes to get its main object of desire under the orders of Gallardo in the January transfer window. The Egyptian is Mohamed Salah, whom they wanted earlier this year and for whom they offered a mountain of money: 230 million euros, a figure that would have made the elusive 31-year-old striker the most expensive player in history. Even more expensive than Brazil's Neymar: PSG paid 222 million euros for him in 2017.

After Liverpool's refusal, Al-Ittihad are now back in the race. Although it will not make - for now, because the market is closed until January - a new proposal, it will take to Saudi Arabia an executive with direct access to the talented Egyptian. This is Julian Ward, a 42-year-old Englishman who until mid-2023 was the sporting director of... Liverpool. Al-Ittihad are hoping Ward can convince Salah of the benefits of moving to Jeddah. And play under Gallardo.

England's Daily Mail reports that Ward has already been instrumental in the signing of an Argentinian player who became one of Liverpool's star reinforcements in the last transfer window. He is Alexis Mac Allister, who swapped Brighton for the city of the Beatles in a transfer that cost 42 million euros. Ward was later replaced in his role by German Jorg Schmadtke, a much more experienced man (he is 59).

The Daily Mail adds that Ward joined Liverpool in 2012 as head of scouting for Spain and Portugal and was among the candidates to become sporting director of Ajax in the Netherlands. However, he opted to wait for a better opportunity. That one is likely to come to him from Saudi Arabia and alongside Marcelo Gallardo. In any case, the task of tempting Salah will be far from easy: in addition to being Liverpool's franchise player, the Egyptian striker is admired by his manager, German coach Jürgen Klopp. However, after Salah was selected as captain for Thursday's Europa League game against LASK Linz, journalist Francois Plateau has reported that Salah has told Liverpool that he would like to extend his contract for another year.