The Saudi Arabian Professional League (SPL) has approved rule changes that could affect a number of Premier League clubs.
For Liverpool, there could be further questions over Mohamed Salah’s future in 2024 if they fail to agree a new contract to keep him at Anfield.
Salah, who is under contract until the summer of 2025 and is the 10th top scorer in Premier League history, has been the subject of transfer speculation since this summer. SPL, which is supported by the National Social Assistance Fund, has said it wants to attract the best talent from Europe. However, Liverpool have failed to secure Salah after rejecting a $191m (£150m/€173m) bid for Al Snell. – Etihad on the last day of the September transfer window.
Since then, there has been uncertainty over whether there will be renewed interest in the winter transfer window. But league director Michael Emenalo suggested in mid-December that no action would be taken next month. Instead, Liverpool will be without the number 11 shirt when they take part in the AFCON after the New Year’s game against Newcastle.
He could be out for more than a month and then return with a team that could push for a top-four finish to end the season. However, if Salah does not agree a new deal on Merseyside before the end of the season, that could pave the way for the next chapter in the story.
According to Ben Jacobs, the SPL has agreed to allow member clubs to register up to 10 players. There were more than 8 foreign players in the 25 players.
However, only 8 players can play in each match. These changes will make it easier for SPL clubs to attract overseas talent. This was a big problem for Al Ittihad when they tried to sign Salah in the summer.
Although they didn’t get him, there were 10 foreign players at the start of the season. This meant that former Celtic winger Jota and former West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazi were unable to register for domestic competitions. He still needs to whittle down that list before he can guarantee Salah a starting spot and a big salary, but that would only make things better. It just got easier.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will have to decide whether to keep the 32-year-old, who is the club’s highest-paid player, or sell him for a big fee and replace him. His contract until the summer will last just 12 months. By this time next year, he will be virtually free to strike a hypothetical exit deal. If so, he could leave Anfield in 2025 for free, like many before him.
