Report: Salah refused Saudi deal worth at least £500M to stay at Liverpool

Mohamed Salah decided to stay at Liverpool despite receiving an offer to earn at least £500 million in the Saudi Pro League, sources told BBC Sport's Sami Mokbel.

The 32-year-old attacker signed a two-year deal on Merseyside on Friday, ending months of persistent speculation about his future. Salah reportedly didn't need to take a pay cut to ensure he remained at Liverpool and will earn close to £400,000 a week on his latest terms.

Still, that salary pales in comparison to the reported contract offer from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club. Salah's weekly wage of £400,000 amounts to around £20.8 million per year, meaning he would need to stay at Liverpool for at least 24 more years on that salary to match the riches he could've enjoyed in the Saudi Pro League.

Jeddah-based Al-Ittihad reportedly made a verbal approach for Salah in the summer of 2023.

Salah inked fresh terms to stay at Liverpool because he wants to chase more silverware in Europe, try to win a Ballon d'Or, and ensure he continues to test himself against the best so he can perform well for Egypt, according to Mokbel. The Pharaohs are set to compete at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (which kicks off in December and concludes in January 2026) and are on the cusp of securing their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Salah is likely to have the option to move to Saudi Arabia in the future, Mokbel reports. People close to the forward believe he has at least another three years playing at the elite level - a year beyond when his new Liverpool contract expires - and there's an unwavering desire from the high-spending Saudi Pro League to bring the Arabic icon to play in the country.

Saudi Arabia has attracted many big names in recent years, including Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo. Salah's former Liverpool teammates Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Georginio Wijnaldum also play in the oil-rich country.