Mohamed Salah could reportedly be blacklisted from the Saudi Pro League (SPL) after Al Ittihad's recent failure to prise him from Liverpool.
The burgeoning Saudi top division made a massive attempt to lure Salah to its shores in the most recent transfer window, with Al Ittihad reportedly seeing a world-record bid being rejected by the Reds.
Read: OFFICIAL: Pogba's agent issues statement after drug test fail
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had insisted the 31-year-old is not for sale as he still has a contract until June 2025, which he signed just last year.
SPL director of football Michael Emenalo has since stated that the door is not closed to Salah, and that they are likely to launch another attempt at signing him either in January or at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
"If it didn't happen, it's not because we no longer fancy the player, or because we have a problem with Liverpool. It's because certain things that need to align for all the parties involved in the process didn't align," he told Sky Sports.
"Nobody is angry, we move on, but we absolutely close no doors and if the opportunity is there to do things and do it well – and it brings Mohamed Salah to the Saudi Pro League – we will all be very grateful."
Stand A Chance To Win 1 Of 4 Pairs Of Oakley Sunglasses!
However, despite Emenalo's recent remarks, Salah could be blacklisted from the SPL if his agent is found to be in violation of a particular rule.
According to The New York Times, the league has issued a set of rules when trying to sign players, with one stipulating that any prospective signing demanding an annual salary of more than £2.29 million (R54 million) would have to be approved by the league and not the club.
Another rule, which is said to speak directly to Salah's case, is that teams are not allowed to compete for the same player and negotiate against one another. If a footballer or agent is found to be tied in talks with two Saudi teams as a bargaining mechanism, they would be "immediately blacklisted".
Read: Supporters Forum: Kaizer Chiefs' Papa Wawa
This comes amid speculation that more one SPL club wants Salah on its books, with some believing his agent could leverage this demand to get his superstar client an even higher wage than he was recently offered.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH:
