Saudi Pro League director of football Michael Emenalo says Mohamed Salah is the type of player he’d love to lure to the Middle East, but insists any move would have to be initiated by either the player or Liverpool.
Al-Ittihad saw a £150million bid for the Egypt striker rejected over the summer and Liverpool expect Salah to honour the three-year contract he signed last year.
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The 31-year-old has continued his remarkable form on Merseyside this season, scoring his 200th Liverpool goal, in just 327 appearances, in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.
Emenalo is happy to wait until Salah’s situation at Anfield changes before any potential move could materialise.
He told Sky Sports News: “Mo Salah, like [Lionel] Messi, [Karim] Benzema, [Cristiano] Ronaldo and the likes of Kevin De Bruyne…these are the types of players that when there is a sense of availability for them, or interest, we can’t refuse to listen and we’re willing to listen but we understand that Mo is happy where he is.
“He is in a historic club at Liverpool and we respect that very much and we don’t want to come across as putting any pressure on him.
“But if there is an opportunity and there is an interest for both parties to do something then yes, Mo Salah is a player that you’d want in your league.”
Emenalo reiterated that there would be no attempt to prise Salah away from Liverpool in the January window.
He added: “We will respect Liverpool and there’s no way in this particular scenario that the initiative to do anything is going to come from us.”
