Al-Ittihad preparing to tempt Liverpool with £118m bid for Mohamed Salah

The summer transfer window is about to come to a close but Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad are not ready to end their pursuit of Liverpool FC striker Mohamed Salah. According to reports from numerous publications across Europe, the reigning Saudi Pro League champions are gearing up to tempt Liverpool with a bid worth £118 million.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has insisted time and again that his star forward is not for sale. Salah signed a contract extension last year, and the club fully intends to hold on to him for the time being. The German manager has made his feelings on the subject very clear, and he will surely end up furious if the club ultimately decides to cash in on the player.

Klopp has already lost a number of players to high-paying deals with Saudi clubs this year, including captain Jordan Henderson. As such, he won't be pleased if the club lets go of Salah, a move which would effectively derail his plans for the season. Needless to say, the Egyptian is at the centre of Klopp's plans, and losing a player like him with no more time left to find a replacement would leave the manager in a tricky position.

In fact, Liverpool legend Peter Crouch took to social media to weigh in on the issue. According to him, it does not matter how much the Saudis are willing to pay, but Salah is simply irreplaceable at the moment.

Al-Ittihad executives have travelled to England

For his part, Salah has not shut down reports of a possible move, and he has not looked like the picture of contentment while playing his first few games with Liverpool this season either. He has even thrown a tantrum after being subbed out in a match against Chelsea two weeks ago, leading some to believe he may end up forcing his way out of Anfield.

Even Saudi Pro League chief executive Saad al-Lazeez is reportedly involved in the possible deal because Salah is now being seen as the future face of the league. Being an Arab, the Egyptian star is set to become a massive marketing asset for Saudi Arabia as they prepare to host the Club World Cup and make a bid to host the FIFA World Cup.

Salah's agent Ramy Abbas has previously stated that Salah will not leave Liverpool this summer, but that has not stopped Saudi Arabia from trying to tempt the player and the Reds.

Apart from Henderson, former Liverpool players Fabinho and Roberto Firmino have also signed big-money deals with Saudi clubs in recent weeks. Several other have been approached, and Klopp has already pointed out that the oil-rich clubs are posing a threat to European football. It also does not help that the Saudi transfer window stays open a full week after the European window closes.

Apart from the Liverpool players, Al-Ittihad has also signed Real Madrid captain and current Ballon d'Or holder Karim Benzema. Even N'Golo Kante is now part of the roster that plays under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Liverpool fans are also holding their breath, with many waiting to see if Al-Ittihad will indeed make a last-minute swoop. The Saudi Pro League has created a flurry of activity this summer that has completely changed the landscape of the football world. The best players used to seek employment outside Europe only upon reaching the twilight of their career, but now even younger players who are at their peak have been tempted by the lucrative offers from the Gulf.