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Watch: Al Ettifaq take odd swipe at Mo Salah in Demarai Gray announcement video

The Saudi side seemingly poked fun at the Egyptian



Saudi side Al-Ettifaq have taken an odd shot at Liverpool’s Mo Salah during their announcement video of new signing Demarai Gray, hinting that Jurgen Klopp is keeping the Egyptian at the club against his wishes amid interest from fellow Saudi side Al-Ittihad.

The Everton winger has joined Al-Ettifaq in a deal worth £8m, but his arrival has been overshadowed by the ongoing interest in Mo Salah, who is thought to be the subject of a potential world record bid from Al-Ittihad and is happy to make the move if Liverpool allow it.

Jurgen Klopp’s side, however, are not willing to let him leave, and they would no longer be able to find a replacement with the English transfer window already having shut.

That appears to have been referenced by Steven Gerrard’s side too in a bizarre announcement video. Styled in a retro video game titled “Ettifaq transfers”, they scroll over to Liverpool’s squad, before hovering over Salah’s picture where two messages of ‘No!’ appear on the screen, accompanied by the face of Jurgen Klopp.

It then turns to Aston Villa’s Philippe Coutinho, before showing his return to Brazil and eventually arriving at Gray, where the video ends with “transfer completed”.

Demarai Gray is the fifth arrival at the Saudi side, joining former Liverpool pair Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum as well as Jack Hendry and striker Moussa Dembele from Club Brugge and Lyon respectively.

They could yet be joined by Jadon Sancho too, with Steven Gerrard’s side having made a shock late loan move for the Manchester United outcast who was publicly outed by Erik ten Hag over the weekend for poor attitude, an accusation that he has hit back at on social media.

As per CBS Sports, ‘Steven Gerrard’s side would be prepared to offer a buy option too but given limited time a standard loan may be only possibility’, though it is unclear whether either Sancho or United will be willing to take this deal.

The Saudi Pro League’s transfer window shuts as 10pm BST on September 7th, meaning that the two clubs have mere hours to agree to a deal.

Read more:

‘We can start talking’ Liverpool handed transfer boost as club confirm January talks for midfielder

The Premier League star Chelsea tried (and failed) to sign in the final 48 hours of the transfer window

Ben Browning

Ben Browning

Football writer and analyst. Long-time writer of all things Arsenal and avid watcher of European football. Happy to discuss all things football over on Twitter.


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