MOHAMED SALAH was on the brink of leaving Liverpool until Jurgen Klopp announced he was quitting.
That is the stunning claim made by former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic.
Salah was heavily linked with a transfer to the moneybags Middle Eastern league, with Saudi Pro League bosses desperate to make him their new poster boy.
But he ultimately stayed at Anfield to see out the final year of his deal, at least, under new boss Arne Slot.
And Bilic – who was bossing in Saudi Arabia at the time, claims Salah, 32, had been unhappy under Klopp only for the German’s shock departure to prompt a change of heart.
Speaking on The LineUp, via BetMGM and talkSPORT, Bilic said: “There has definitely been a change this season under Arne Slot as, having been in Saudi Arabia last year, I know he wasn’t happy under Jurgen Klopp and we were expecting him to move.
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“The whole of Saudi was ready for him and he would have been the star of the league.
“As far as we were all concerned, it was done and Mo Salah was going to join Al-Ittihad.
“I wasn’t surprised he didn’t move, though.
“He knows the move is there for him when he wants to leave Liverpool.
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“It’s not a one-year ‘take it or leave it’ project in Saudi.”
Bilic was managing Al Fateh in Saudi Arabia until his departure in August.
The Kop’s Egyptian king scored 25 goals and added 14 assists in 44 games across all competitions last season.
But he has hit new heights this season, already scoring 30 goals and adding 22 assists in 39 games in all competitions.
Salah has said it is his last year with the club, though speculation has persisted he could sign an extension off the back of his stunning season.
His old Under-20 Egypt boss, Diaa El-Sayed, dropped a transfer hint over his future, exclusively telling SunSport: “I have known Salah since he was just a kid, and I know how honest he is as a human being.
“He’s had eight amazing years at Liverpool, and his numbers are just incredible.”
Five Mo Salah strops at Liverpool
Five times things have got heated during Mo Salah’s Liverpool career.
West Ham 2 Liverpool 2 – April 28, 2024
Salah gets into a heated argument with Klopp as he refuses to shake the manager’s hand before coming on at the London Stadium.
Liverpool 3 Sheffield United 1 – April 4, 2024
Salah shakes his head as he is subbed off during Liverpool’s 3-1 win over the basement club.
Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1 – August 13, 2023
Salah storms off the pitch after being replaced on 77 minutes on the first day of the season.
Brighton 1 Liverpool 1 – November 28, 2020
Salah throws his arms up in the air and barely looks at Klopp after being subbed off. Brighton go on to equalise with a last minute penalty.
Burnley 0 Liverpool 3 – August 31, 2019
Salah gets in a public spat with Sadio Mane after failing to pass to the winger. Team-mate Roberto Firmino says the row had been brewing for some time.
Read the full article from Jack Rosser
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
