Liverpool have sent a warning to Barcelona over Mohamed Salah, insisting the Egyptian is ‘non-transferable’ this summer.
That’s according to Sport, who say the Reds ‘threaten’ the Catalan giants amid reports about them making a move for their star player.
The newspaper explains that Salah is currently negotiating a new contract with Liverpool, with his current deal set to expire in 2023.
However, at this moment in time, both clubs are ‘clear’ that an agreement is a ‘long way off’ and there is ‘little chance’ that will change before the end of the season.
Faced with this scenario, the forward is ‘open’ to listening to offers and is ‘very tempted’ by the chance of playing for Barcelona, who have emerged as an interested party in the last few weeks.
However, those closest to him know that a departure from Anfield ‘seems almost impossible’ at this moment in time.
Liverpool are ‘determined’ not to facilitate a departure this summer and have already hinted that they may declare him non-transferable and risk losing him on a free next year.
They don’t want to sell their star player and similarly don’t want to listen to proposals of any kind, which may ‘complicate’ a departure this year.
In the meantime, Salah has ‘practically broken off’ negotiations with Liverpool and has been rejecting all proposals presented to him because he wants to be one of the best-paid players in the world, given his performances in recent years.
He also believes he may have ended his cycle in the Premier League and is excited about the idea of playing in La Liga. He’s never hidden his admiration for Barcelona, and there were contacts in the past too.
The Catalans have been informed of the situation and know that Salah ‘would do everything in his power’ to move to the Nou Camp if the economics of the move were right.
For now, the contacts between Barcelona and Salah haven’t gone beyond ‘a simple consultation’, and Barca have not contacted Liverpool in any form.
They consider the Reds a difficult club to negotiate with, and the transfer would only happen if Liverpool open the door for the player.
Thus Barcelona understand they need to wait as the situation will ‘mature’ as the summer gets closer because Liverpool will be forced to make a decision: sell this year or potentially lose him on a free in 2023.
