AL-ITTIHAD have hatched a cunning plan to finally prise Mohamed Salah from Liverpool’s clutches, it’s been claimed.
The Saudi Pro League giants tried to sign the talismanic winger from the Merseysiders days before the transfer window closed in September.
They were unsuccessful in their bid to land the Egypt international, whose contract at Anfield is set to expire in June 2025.
Al-Ittihad are understood to be plotting a second swoop for the 31-year-old, who they hope to get their hands on with the help of a former Kop man.
According to The Daily Mail, they hope to recruit Liverpool’s former sports director Julian Ward – who stunned the Merseysiders by leaving Anfield in the summer.
Ward played a pivotal role in bringing the likes of Alexis Mac Allister to Merseyside but left his role a matter of months after succeeding Michael Edwards.
And Al-Ittihad are hopeful he can work his magic and help them land Salah – their prime summer target.
Liverpool rebuffed a jaw-dropping £200million offer for Salah – who has scored 12 goals and registered five assists so far this season – in September.
Kop chief Jurgen Klopp was adamant no amount of money would tempt the club to part company with the forward, who he insists is happy as Larry at Anfield.
The German said in November: “Mo is here, Mo never came to me and wanted to go. I didn’t think a second about it, to be honest, should we [sell] or not, or whatever.
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“So, yes, he’s here.
“He feels extremely well, you can see that he enjoys the team a lot.
“[He] played 105 minutes [against Forest] and then he played as a No. 9 [against Bournemouth], enjoyed that as well.
“Yes, good shape, on the pitch, goalscoring-wise, everybody can see that; off the pitch, he’s in even better shape, I would say.
“He’s really positive.
He enjoys the company of the boys and sees that there is a lot of potential, and wants to maximise that by getting something out of it.
“But the other stuff, we never thought about it, and I hope I don’t have to.”
Salah and his Liverpool team-mates will be back in action on Thursday, hosting Austrian side Lask at Anfield in their fifth Europa League Group E match of the season.
