Will Liverpool's Salah join Al Ittihad before Saudi transfer window shuts?

Alberto Toro SAUDIS SET ON Al Ittihad have tabled a world-record bid for the Liverpool ace SALAH

[{"selector":"#anim-774ec0ea-cd19-4df1-83fb-0e071a910a54","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c589621e-df22-4508-a498-abd27d451185 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.9259259259259259)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"forwards"}] While the summer transfer window snapped shut in Europe’s major leagues on 1 September, clubs in Saudi Arabia can still sign players.

[{"selector":"#anim-31b2bd25-ffe2-43a7-b400-5953a4e6eecf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.53844%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ac83229-f229-499a-95a7-456ffb0be041 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 3.033980678341304e-7%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] Al Ittihad failed with an offer of €150 million for Liverpool star Mo Salah, but the Saudis are refusing to give up on their pursuit of the Egyptian.

[{"selector":"#anim-e25e77e3-a009-4024-b7bb-a066f8881b2a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d89e0990-5ee9-480f-922d-e4c001bb8f5b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 7.760782355151471e-15%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] It has emerged that Al Ittihad have now returned with a new bid: they’re prepared to pay the Premier League club €223 million for Salah’s services.

[{"selector":"#anim-d8ef86f4-86e0-4fb1-8501-b71f5730be51","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-be7b6823-7618-4f47-837f-72ccf8094b24 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.847457627118644)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"forwards"}] Such a sum would make the forward the most expensive signing in soccer history, eclipsing the €222 million that PSG paid for Neymar in 2017.

[{"selector":"#anim-bc41de47-67d6-43dc-9dfe-a613ccce5d17","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5fcc7537-6a68-4115-a7d9-625392877034 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.8771929824561403)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"fill":"forwards"}] What’s more, Al Ittihad are ready to hand Salah a contract that would net him a larger pay packet than Cristiano Ronaldo receives at Al Nassr.

[{"selector":"#anim-1f1704c4-2dfd-44e2-b886-6266aad528df","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-babd1cb2-e201-4ee4-b005-c7d95330e0c1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.9433962264150944)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"forwards"}] Liverpool head coach Jürgen Klopp insists that Salah is not for sale, but the Saudi transfer window remains open until the end of Thursday.

[{"selector":"#anim-4ad7bacf-ac1b-4000-8ab6-3771c6b4c628","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8cc6fe12-6b59-4134-b9cd-6bf7a1a269e1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(7.89772701725232%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] If the 31-year-old moved to Al Ittihad, he would be reunited with former Liverpool team-mate Fabinho, who joined the club this summer.

[{"selector":"#anim-7237a770-8a92-4455-90ea-ba30380b83eb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 169.28640%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-14a7efa3-accf-41c1-9eae-69dca81215d8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.6622516556291391)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"forwards"}] In all, three players have left Anfield for Saudi Arabia this summer, with Roberto Firmino and Jordan Henderson also moving to the Middle East.

[{"selector":"#anim-4b80c5a8-8380-45f4-8a43-e2545dc81593 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 7.760782355151471e-15%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] YOU'LL FIND MORE GREAT VISUAL STORIES AT AS USA