Liverpool has clear $251m Mohamed Salah transfer call to make and Darwin Núñez knows why
Al Ittihad is preparing a new offer in the next 24 hours in an effort to lure Mohamed Salah to the Saudi Pro League, so Liverpool’s determination will be put to the test once more.
Although Liverpool’s position on Mohamed Salah is clear, it appears that it will be put to another serious test over the course of the next 24 hours.
Liverpool is getting ready for a $251 million (£200 million/€234 million) offer from Al Ittihad after rejecting a $188 million (£150 million/€175 million) offer last week. The Saudi Pro League team has until tomorrow to finalize a deal.
Salah is obviously not for sale, according to the Reds (as reported by the ECHO and others). Although the fees being discussed will undoubtedly be alluring, Jürgen views them as a non-starter at this point because he won’t have the chance to find a replacement until January.
Salah is as near to being unique as it is possible to get. Finding a suitable replacement for a prolific goal scorer whose numbers can only be matched by players in more traditional striking positions is not something the club can just jump into.
But it’s not just his individual achievements that make him such an important part of Klopp’s machine. No one will understand his contributions to other players better than he does, and Darwin Núñez.
After a challenging start to the Premier League, the Uruguayan international confronts a crucial season. Having pushed his way into the starting lineup with a game-winning cameo at Newcastle, it’s now up to him to prove he’s ready to go forward.
Following his brace at St. James’ Park, Néez earned a spot in the starting lineup against Aston Villa. Despite once again impressing with his effort, Néez continued to exhibit a raw and occasionally frustrating style of play in front of goal as he wasted opportunities to increase his tally.
The 24-year-old is not going to find a solution to that problem quickly, and Liverpool will undoubtedly need to keep giving him regular opportunities to establish himself in England. Salah can help in this situation.
Few athletes have bonded with Nez as well as the Egyptian. That was demonstrated at Newcastle when Salah set up his striking partner with a superb ball-sliding move, and Néez paid it forward by helping his teammate at Villa.
Though the two have a history together, it was evident last season as well, as Salah noted after the 2-0 victory over Everton in February.
“I train with Darwin so I know his stride,” Salah said after the win to Sky Sports. “I understand his style of play; when we counterattack, we just move forward. We frequently used it in our matches against Napoli and [Manchester] City, so I am familiar with his style of play and am confident that he will score a lot of goals. Once he just starts scoring them, he will score a lot of goals.
Opta (via This Is Anfield) statistics from after the game showed that Salah and his partner had the best rate in the Premier League for setting up opportunities for one another, with a chance being presented every 52 minutes.
Although Nez appears to be progressing this season, it is obvious that Salah will play a significant role in Liverpool realizing Nez’s full potential. Thus, rather than taking a chance on losing two powerful weapons at once, the club is left with an easy choice to make when Al Ittihad calls again.
