Liverpool transfer update: Mohamed Salah request made and uncertainty surrounding Jordan Henderson’s future

Speculation about the futures of both current and former Liverpool players, including Mohamed Salah, is intensifying as the transfer window nears its close.

While January 31 typically marks the end of the mid-season transfer window, this year, the window remains open until Monday, and rumors are circulating as the deadline approaches. Most of the focus is on clubs like Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham, who are expected to make moves before Monday.

As for Liverpool, no significant last-minute signings are anticipated, which may frustrate some fans. However, manager Arne Slot likely feels no urgent need to add to his squad at this time.

That could change in the summer, though, with uncertainty surrounding the futures of key players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah. Each of them has only five months left on their contracts, making them eligible to negotiate with foreign clubs.

Of the three, Salah has been the most frequently mentioned in the media. After rumors linking him to Paris Saint-Germain, recent reports suggest a potential move to Saudi Arabia. The Telegraph indicated that a transfer to Al-Hilal is the most probable destination if Salah does leave Liverpool.

Things escalated on Thursday when Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, shared in an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored that he would love to see Salah play in Saudi Arabia. When asked if Salah represented the “big prize” for the Saudi league, Al-Faisal responded, “Well, definitely, because if he ticks all the right boxes, even for us, we’d love to have him.” He went on to express a cultural connection with Egypt, noting, “He’s Egyptian, and we have a very good relationship, and we feel like we are one with the Egyptians as well, from our culture and our history and so on. So to have Mo Salah or other players that are good role models would be a pleasure and a privilege to have in the Saudi League. Will it happen or not? That’s up to the clubs to decide and to see what negotiations go on.”

Meanwhile, Salah’s former teammate, Jordan Henderson, could also be on the move, though there are conflicting reports about his future. On Thursday, Fabrizio Romano reported that Henderson was close to finalizing a permanent move to Monaco, potentially setting up a reunion with Liverpool if they meet the Ligue 1 side in the Champions League round of 16.

However, reports from the Netherlands contradicted this. De Telegraaf stated that Ajax’s technical director, Alex Kroes, rejected the Monaco bid, as Henderson is considered an important player for the team. The report also suggested that a move next summer remains a possibility, with Henderson open to joining Monaco.

The situation became even more intriguing later that night when Henderson started for Ajax in their Europa League match against Galatasaray but was stripped of the captain’s armband. He was substituted in the later stages of the game, replaced by Daniele Rugani. It will be interesting to see if Henderson retains his place in the lineup for Ajax’s upcoming Eredivisie clash with Feyenoord.