Mo Salah “would have” moved to Saudi – fans had “big role” in new contract

Mohamed Salah has admitted he would have moved to Saudi Arabia if he had not agreed a new contract with Liverpool, with fans playing a “big role” in his deal.

Salah will be a Liverpool player for at least two more years after agreeing a lucrative extension to his contract in April.

But it came after months of speculation over the Egyptian’s future, with interest in making him one of the most high-profile – and well-paid – players in Saudi Arabia clouding his situation at Liverpool.

In a new interview with Arabic broadcaster ON Sport, Salah went into detail about how close he was to accepting an offer from the Saudi Pro League.

“I thought it was a good opportunity,” he said.

“My contract was about to finish with the club and I thought that if I didn’t renew with the club there I was a very strong chance that I would go there.

“But in the end we reached an agreement with the club.

“I still have a good relationship with the people in Saudi Arabia and I always stay in contact with them.”

Salah’s commitment to Liverpool is a major boost, particularly on the back of a 34-goal, 23-assist campaign that could earn him the Ballon d’Or, and he acknowledge the role the fans played in pushing a deal through.

“Of course, they are part of the pressure on the administration,” he explained.

“It was from the public, because I have been at the club for seven or eight years and I have been performing well with them and I have given them everything for all these years.

“From the beginning, day one, I knew that they wanted me to stay, so in a certain way they had a big role.”

Salah wants to play until he’s 40

The 32-year-old revealed that he had not received serious offers from either Barcelona or Real Madrid, with the expectation remaining that, if he does depart Anfield in the future, it would be for the Middle East.

That comes with Salah adamant he has many years left in the tank.

“I will stop playing when I have that feeling. But if you ask me for my opinion, I think I can play until the age of 39 or 40,” he continued.

“But if I felt before that I wanted to stop, I would quit. I have achieved a lot of things.”

Asked if he could see himself retiring at Liverpool, Salah replied: “I don’t know what is going to happen.

“But I am happy here in Liverpool and I am staying here for the next two years. Then we will see what to do next.”