Michail Antonio has claimed Mohamed Salah was eager to depart Liverpool this summer months amid curiosity in the Egyptian star from Saudi Arabia.
A single of the largest stories throughout the again close of the transfer window was Salah’s potential at Anfield after the Reds turned down an preliminary £150million bid from Saudi champions Al-Ittihad.
Studies prompt they were organized to go back in with a £200m offer you but Jurgen Klopp’s facet managed to stave off their curiosity and retain their participant, right up until at minimum January.
Through the transient saga, Klopp repeatedly stressed the speculation did not concern him, though Salah remained silent.
And West Ham ahead Antonio insisted the 31-12 months-aged – who would have received an annual wage of £100m after tax for 3 many years – was interested in the move, but the Reds outright refused to give him that prospect.
Michail Antonio claimed Mohamed Salah desired to sign up for Al-Ittihad from Liverpool this summer time
Antonio insisted Salah was ‘ready to go’ but the Reds refused to countenance a departure
‘He did not transform that down, no way,’ Antonio explained to the Footballer’s Football Podcast.
‘He was locked up and the Reds had place that red arrow throughout: “You are not likely anyplace”.
‘He did not halt that at all. To be honest to him, he didn’t kick up a fuss and enable them do what they were being accomplishing. But I know for a truth that he was prepared to go.’
Irrespective of the extortionate sums of dollars on offer you in the Center East, Antonio also argued Salah experienced other motivations for his transfer soon after a stellar six many years at Anfield.
The Egyptian star has 188 objectives for Liverpool and is fifth in their all-time goalscoring charts, although he has won each trophy readily available to him at the club.
He included: ‘What else can he do at Liverpool? He’s performed it. It is [Saudi] a excellent opportunity for him, he is a Muslim male and it had every thing screaming out for him.
‘There was no precise negative for the male to not go. I recognize he has a contract, which he has fulfilled.’
Al-Ittihad are managed by Nuno Espirito Santo and had an first bid really worth £150m turned down
Salah is a person of Liverpool’s biggest players of all-time, possessing scored 188 objectives for the club
Salah hasn’t permit the speculation distract him, with the 31-yr-outdated scoring two targets and adding four helps in his to start with 5 online games this season, as Liverpool keep on being unbeaten.
Nonetheless, Mail Activity reported previously this thirty day period how Al-Ittihad consider their pursuit to indicator Salah is only on hold, and they strategy to make an additional transfer in the foreseeable future.
The Reds are back again in motion on Thursday when they deal with Austrian facet LASK in the Europa League, right before they get on West Ham on Sunday.