Rumour Mongering: Mohamed Salah Not Leaving Liverpool

Mohamed Salah. He’s a footballer who plays for Liverpool. He remains under contract. Apologies if this article seems awfully simplistic so far.

It’s mid June and we’re knee deep in transfer rumour nonsense. So deep, in fact, that we’re hearing huge news about things that are not happening. Which is why The Mirror, in a shocking turn of events, is reporting that Salah will not, in fact, be leaving Liverpool. Just in case you were wondering about that thing you definitely weren’t wondering about.

The report claims that Real Madrid and Juventus both showed interest in signing the Egypt international, and were willing to pay up to £150 million for his services. Salah, however, great bloke that he is, “feels the timing is wrong to leave Merseyside”.

Let’s unpack. Real Madrid are spending a lot of money this summer. Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic are the centrepieces of a new look attack. It’s entirely plausible that, at least at some point, Salah was seen as an alternative option to Hazard. It’s not as though Madrid were using their favourite Spanish press mouthpieces to constantly link him there, but sure, we can just about buy it.

Juventus, on the other hand? This feels like a stretch. Just last summer they bought in Cristiano Ronaldo. An explosive scoring wide forward isn’t high on the list of priorities. What they need is players who are more comfortable with the kind of possession football Maurizio Sarri believes in, if reports that he is the club’s next manager are correct. Why they would spend all their money on Salah is a mystery.

Of course, this story is perfect in that no one can ever prove it isn’t true. It said he’s not leaving, and he isn’t! It adds that Salah “has indicated that he will review his situation next summer”, and again, no one needs to know anything to put that line in. Of course he will review his situation next summer. Everyone reviews their situation every summer.

More on this non-story as we don’t have it.