An analysis by Kaveh Solhekol: (Sky Sports)

“I’m not so sure. He doesn’t hold the cards, Liverpool hold the cards. He’s still got 18 months left on his contract. Apparently, he earns £400,000 a week.

“Who out there is in a position to pay a big transfer fee for Mo Salah and also to pay his wages?

“Al Hilal have tried to sign him in the past. They made a late, late bid of £150m 18 months ago when he was younger.

“Is there interest in Saudi Arabia for Mo Salah? Of course there is. Especially because Cristiano Ronaldo is getting to the end of his career. They need a new figurehead for the Saudi Pro League. 

“But times have changed in Saudi Arabia. There is not as much money in Saudi Arabian football as there used to be. They’re looking at signing younger players.

“So if Mo Salah is just doing this because he wants to join Al Hilal or Al Nassr in January, I don’t think it is going to be that easy because the days of Saudi Arabia just putting unlimited cash on the table in front of players are gone.

“Yes, there is interest, but I’m not sure how strong that interest is at the moment.

“And any Saudi clubs who would want to sign him are actually in a stronger position now because he’s basically come out and said, ‘I want to go. I’m going to say goodbye to the Liverpool fans on Saturday.’ 

“So anybody who’s trying to sign him kind of can go to Liverpool and say, ‘Look, you’ve got an unhappy player on your hands. We’re willing to take him.’ But Liverpool are far too smart, far too clever. They’re not going to fall for his antics. They’re the ones who are in control of this situation, not the player.”