Saudi side Al-Ettifaq have taken an odd shot at Liverpool’s Mo Salah during their announcement video of new signing Demarai Gray, hinting that Jurgen Klopp is keeping the Egyptian at the club against his wishes amid interest from fellow Saudi side Al-Ittihad.
The Everton winger has joined Al-Ettifaq in a deal worth £8m, but his arrival has been overshadowed by the ongoing interest in Mo Salah, who is thought to be the subject of a potential world record bid from Al-Ittihad and is happy to make the move if Liverpool allow it.
Jurgen Klopp’s side, however, are not willing to let him leave, and they would no longer be able to find a replacement with the English transfer window already having shut.
That appears to have been referenced by Steven Gerrard’s side too in a bizarre announcement video. Styled in a retro video game titled “Ettifaq transfers”, they scroll over to Liverpool’s squad, before hovering over Salah’s picture where two messages of ‘No!’ appear on the screen, accompanied by the face of Jurgen Klopp.
𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 🎮🟢#الاتفاق | #غراي_اتفاقي | @22Demarai pic.twitter.com/1Odfoy187t
— نادي الاتفاق (@Ettifaq) September 7, 2023
It then turns to Aston Villa’s Philippe Coutinho, before showing his return to Brazil and eventually arriving at Gray, where the video ends with “transfer completed”.
Demarai Gray is the fifth arrival at the Saudi side, joining former Liverpool pair Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum as well as Jack Hendry and striker Moussa Dembele from Club Brugge and Lyon respectively.
As per CBS Sports, ‘Steven Gerrard’s side would be prepared to offer a buy option too but given limited time a standard loan may be only possibility’, though it is unclear whether either Sancho or United will be willing to take this deal.
The Saudi Pro League’s transfer window shuts as 10pm BST on September 7th, meaning that the two clubs have mere hours to agree to a deal.
