Mohamed Salah reportedly has a \u2018gentlemen\u2019s agreement\u2019 to leave Liverpool at a certain time, and the Reds have a dream successor in mind, but some of their biggest rivals have made \u2018calls\u2019 about signing him instead.<\/p>\n
Salah, 33, jetted off to play for Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday, and his future at Anfield is still uncertain. He returned to Arne Slot\u2019s matchday squad last weekend and performed well in their 2-0 win over Brighton.<\/p>\n
But, after Salah\u2019s controversial comments in an interview just over two weeks ago, in which he claimed he had been \u201cthrown under the bus\u201d by Liverpool<\/a>, the iconic forward still isn\u2019t happy.<\/p>\n Despite returning to the fold and FSG insisting that Salah isn\u2019t going anywhere, we have revealed that he will\u00a0not\u00a0accept a backseat role in the team moving forward.<\/a><\/p>\n But a fresh claim from a journalist suggests that Salah already has a verbal agreement in place with Liverpool that he will be allowed to leave far sooner than his contract\u2019s 2027 expiry.<\/p>\n Salah\u2019s exit \u2018agreement\u2019 revealed with next destination \u2018almost certain\u2019<\/p>\n Transfer journalist Steve Kay suggests that Salah get his opportunity, Liverpool, at the end of this season<\/a>, rather than next month, as some outlets have suggested.<\/p>\n Kay claims that Salah<\/a> has an unwritten agreement in his deal, allowing him to depart the club next summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPersonally, at this stage, from what I\u2019m hearing, I don\u2019t think he will [leave in January],\u201d Kay began on\u00a0KS1 TV. \u201cThings seem to have calmed down a bit. As I\u2019ve said, we\u2019re waiting to see, but I\u2019m told there was a gentlemen\u2019s agreement that he could leave.<\/p>\n \u201cHe wanted a three-year contract with the option to leave after a year, but Liverpool said no \u2013 you can have two years and leave after one. That was the compromise.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Salah came out and suggested someone wanted him out of the club, I think that went a bit over the top. It wasn\u2019t that they wanted him out; it was that they didn\u2019t want to give him the contract he wanted.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I understand that. Three years is too much, because you end up paying him to leave after a year, and then paying him off on top of that. So I get it completely.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, our transfer insider Graeme Bailey reports that Salah, when he does leave Liverpool, is \u2018almost certain\u2019 to head to the Saudi Pro League<\/a>, despite clubs in France, Italy, Germany, Spain and the United States all reaching out to his representatives to understand his situation.<\/p>\n Want more breaking transfer lines from sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google <\/a>to your favourites list for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Liverpool face obstacles in Salah replacement hunt<\/p>\n Liverpool already have a few exciting Salah replacement targets in mind, but as we have consistently reported, Bournemouth\u2019s Antoine Semenyo<\/a> is top of the shortlist.<\/p>\n Slot is personally an admirer of Semenyo and feels he would fit into his system perfectly. The 25-year-old has a \u00a365m release clause (\u00a360m plus \u00a35m in add-ons) which becomes active in January, and drops to closer to \u00a350m next summer.<\/p>\n However, Liverpool face serious interest for the winger, and although we understand Semenyo\u2019s preferred next move would be to Anfield<\/a>, other sides are doing all they can to change his mind.<\/p>\n Respected journalist Fabrizio Romano has given an update on the situation, revealing that Tottenham are pushing hard to sign the Ghanaian, while Manchester United, Manchester City have also \u2018made calls\u2019 as they eye a potential move.<\/p>\n \u201cTottenham\u00a0are really interested in Semenyo, but this depends on what the player wants to do. But Tottenham have a genuine interest in Semenyo,\u201d Romano said on his YouTube channel.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis week, again,\u00a0Manchester United\u00a0and\u00a0Manchester City\u00a0called to understand the situation of Semenyo.<\/p>\n \u201cBetween Monday and Tuesday, some calls took place from Manchester United and Manchester City to understand the situation of Semenyo\u2026 \u00a365m release clause.<\/p>\n \u201cSo these three clubs [Tottenham, United and City] all called and\u00a0Liverpool\u00a0already called in November. But Liverpool are now assessing what they want to do in January and also what\u2019s going to happen with\u00a0Mohamed Salah\u00a0before deciding on Semenyo.\u201d<\/p>\n Elite Liverpool-linked winger eyes Real Madrid switch<\/p>\n Another winger that has been speculated to be a potential Salah replacement is Athletic Club star Nico Williams.<\/p>\n A host of Premier League sides, including Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs, have all been linked with the Spanish international in the past, too.<\/p>\n Williams, 23, has struggled with injuries recently but is now back fit and has notched three goals and three assists in 16 appearances in all competitions for Athletic this term.<\/p>\n A recent report from Spain claims that Liverpool and Arsenal are still in the mix to sign Williams, but they state that he has his heart set on a move to Real Madrid instead.<\/a><\/p>\n