Liverpool fans told to brace themselves for Mohamed Salah exit this summer but there’s a twist

Liverpool fans have been told to brace themselves for Mohamed Salah’s switch to Saudi Arabia this summer.

The Egyptian forward was subject of a £200million bid from reigning Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in August only for the Reds to rebuff all advances for the 31-year-old.

With just 18 months remaining on his current deal, further offers are expected from the Middle East this summer.

talKSPORT understands Saudi Pro League chiefs will try to exploit Jurgen Klopp's departure at the end of the season to land Salah.

But there could be a twist to which club he lands at.

According to talkSPORT’s Saudi correspondent Ben Jacobs, Jurgen Klopp’s impending departure could see Salah call time on his Anfield adventure a year earlier than expected to form a deadly partnership with Brazilian superstar Neymar.

"I think there's more chance of him going now that Jurgen Klopp's gone,” Jacobs told talkSPORT.

"Salah's at a crossroads, Liverpool's at a crossroads, so if Klopp stayed, I would have predicted that he'd go to Saudi in 2025 and he'd do one more season in Europe with Liverpool.

"But Klopp going now might mean - especially if there's silverware - Salah goes out on a high, and then the only twist from a Saudi perspective is that it won't be Al Ittihad.”

Jacobs believes Salah is more likely to end up at rivals Al-Hilal where the Egyptian could form part of a dream three-pronged attack alongside ex-Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and Neymar.

The runaway leaders also boast former Lazio ace Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Brazilian winger Malcom, ex-Wolves Captain Ruben Neves and centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly in a star-studded line-up.

"Al Ittihad got preference for Salah because they are the Saudi champions and they were competing in the Club World Cup, so of course you want him to be the poster boy,” Jacobs added.

"Now, they're seventh in the Saudi Pro League, Al Hilal are seemingly cruising to the title, so I think the offer will now come from Al Hilal.

"But the offer will still be around the same number [£100m upfront with £25m-£50m in add-ons], so that will be really difficult for Liverpool to reject, especially for a new manager, he's thinking, 'I want a budget to revamp.'"