Real cost of Mohamed Salah and the £150 million truth Saudi Arabia won’t like

Liverpool for rejecting a £150 million offer for talisman Mohamed Salah from Saudi side Al-Ittihad.

In years previous the closing of the transfer window would have signalled a collective sigh of relief for clubs wanting to hang on to their top talent.

The summer deadline passed last night at 11pm, with Liverpool active into the final hours as they secured the £34.2m signing of 21-year-old Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch on a five-year deal from German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

The Saudi Arabian Pro League, whose four major teams are supported in their aggressive spending by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of the Gulf country and owners of Newcastle United, has seen remarkable levels of spending this summer transfer window. While clubs the size of Liverpool are typically the predators in the market, not the prey, this has meant that every possibility has remained on the table.

The Saudi Arabian Pro League, whose four major teams are supported in their aggressive spending by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of the Gulf country and owners of Newcastle United, has seen remarkable levels of spending this summer transfer window. While clubs the size of Liverpool are typically the predators in the market, not the prey, this has meant that every possibility has remained on the table.

The Saudi window closes on 7 September, giving SPL clubs the better part of a week to continue their negotiations and boost the league’s profile. The Saudi government is continuing its effort to alter the country’s perception of the world and diversify its sources of income beyond just traditional oil and gas.