There’s a story that keeps circling: Mohamed Salah has a massive offer waiting for him from Saudi football. You’ve probably heard the figure — the one that makes your eyes widen — and yes, it’s being talked about again despite the fact Salah signed a new deal with Liverpool in April that ties him to the club until June 2027. Reports out of TBR Football put the potential package at around £150 million a year. That number feels cartoonishly large. Still, the conversation isn’t just about headline sums; it’s about timing, leverage, and how people make decisions when huge sums are involved. And I think that’s why this keeps coming back.
Why the £150m talk won’t just disappear
Let’s be honest: when you hear “£150m a year,” you stop and listen. It’s the kind of number that drowns out nuance. But even if that exact amount isn’t accurate, there’s a reason journalists and pundits keep bringing it up. Saudi clubs are on a spending spree, and Salah — for reasons both on and off the pitch — is one of the most appealing names they could target. He’s a global star, a familiar face in the Middle East, and he still scores. So, from a pure marketing and sporting point of view, you can see why he’s on the wishlist.
Stefan Borson, a former Manchester City financial adviser, has publicly cast doubt on the precise £150m claim. He thinks the true value might be lower, though still very large. I find his take helpful because it moves the discussion away from sensationalism and toward reality: deals can be structured in many ways. You don’t have to pay a simple straight salary of astronomical sums to create a transformative package. There are image rights, bonuses, signing fees, and other incentives that can all be arranged. So even if the number in the headlines is exaggerated, the financial pull remains very real.
Also read: Why Nuno Might Bring Adama Traoré Back to London — and What That Would Actually Look Like
Form, contracts and the power balance
Salah’s recent form is part of the story. Through 15 games this season he’d tallied five goals and three assists — solid but perhaps not at the sky-high standard set in his best Liverpool years. Managers notice that. Arne Slot reportedly has concerns. Yet Salah scored in the win over Aston Villa on November 1, and that kind of thing muddies any simple narrative: the player can still change matches, and clubs value that.
Contracts complicate things too. Salah signed an extension in April that runs to 2027. That should’ve dampened talk of an immediate move, and for a while it did. But contracts don’t kill interest — they shape it. A long contract means Liverpool have leverage: they can demand a big fee. At the same time, it gives the player security. If a massive offer comes, Liverpool don’t have to sell; they can negotiate terms that suit them. But as Borson points out, timing matters. If the club starts to worry that a player’s peak has passed or that his output will drop, the calculus changes. They might accept a lower transfer fee to stop paying high wages or to refresh the squad earlier than planned.
How the decision could be made — and by whom
There are several actors here: Salah himself, Liverpool, the Saudi clubs, and the negotiating teams who would structure any deal. Each has a different priority. Salah must weigh wages, playing time, his role at Liverpool, and how he wants his career to be remembered. Liverpool will look at transfer fees, wage bills, squad balance, and long-term planning. Saudi clubs focus partly on the on-field impact but also on the commercial boost a player like Salah brings.
Borson’s blunt view — that the deal could happen “even if he recovers his form” — hints at a key point. Sometimes, a club that’s seen a potential exit route will go ahead because they’ve already imagined life without the player. If Liverpool had already thought about selling this past summer, a dip in form would only harden that position. Conversely, if Salah starts firing again consistently, the market heats up and other clubs (maybe not only in Saudi Arabia) will stare harder at what he’s worth.
ALso read: Why Arne Slot’s Pitch Tilted Florian Wirtz Toward Anfield
legacy, minutes, and pride
It’s easy to think about numbers and contracts and forget the person at the center. Salah will likely think about how he wants to finish his career, his place in Liverpool history, and whether he’s ready for a new challenge. He’ll weigh playing time and the role he’d have in a new team. There’s also pride and personal identity. Does he want to be the player who chases a late-career payday? Or does he want to stay and keep fighting for trophies in Europe and domestically? Both are understandable, and both come with trade-offs.
What the short and medium term probably looks like
Short-term, Salah still plays for Liverpool and will aim to improve his output. Managers don’t bench stars lightly, and goals change everything. If he rediscovers a long streak of form, the club may be more inclined to keep him — or at least push for an even bigger fee. But the medium-term debate is active and likely to stay that way. Summer 2026 is looking important on calendars, and even summer 2025 hasn’t been fully ruled out. If a realistic Saudi package arrives — one that’s big but not necessarily the tabloid headline — a move could happen without the glam headline number of £150m being real.
My take? If I had to guess, I’d say a move is plausible but not inevitable. The absolute headline figures feel exaggerated. At the same time, the structural reality — namely huge cash and a willingness from Saudi clubs to spend — makes this story reasonable. It’s messy; it will probably get messier. But for now, Salah remains a Liverpool player with a decision to make, and the next year or two will be telling.
Leave a comment