I've followed Neymar's Saudi spell and Mohamed Salah's Liverpool decision is easy
Mohamed Salah had a rare quiet day as Liverpool dramatically won 2-0 at Brentford. But that is unlikely to mean the off-field stories about his future subside any time soon.
This week, the Al Hilal manager, Jorge Jesus, was asked about the possibility of signing the Liverpool forward, who is out of contract at the end of the season as things stand, and it would be fair to say he far from distanced his side from making a move.
The Saudi Pro League giant is set to lose Neymar and is looking for a high-profile replacement, with Salah — given there has been no news yet on an extension at Liverpool — an obvious player to pick. "Salah or other big names won’t come this winter," Jesus said. "But maybe this summer."
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There is no doubt, while negotiations continue with Liverpool about a potential contract extension, that Saudi chiefs would love to snap up Salah. A couple of years after bidding $183m (£150m/€177m) for him, signing him for nothing would be even sweeter.
Where there is more doubt, however, is how much interest Salah — who wants to stay at Liverpool — would have in a move to the Middle East. The money is good, but the quality of the league certainly isn't.
For Salah, who rightfully is a leading contender for the Ballon d'Or this year, it would simply be a waste of his talent for the Egyptian to be playing there for another few years. At the same time, though, he won't publicly rule out a move as that would weaken his bargaining position and also potentially rule out a transfer that might be a viable option when his career begins to wind down.
Even then, though, aside from the finances involved, there is little in the way of appeal. Ivan Toney left Brentford for Al Ahli but when was the last time you saw one of his — or anyone in the Saudi Pro League's — goals? Someone like Salah deserves a much bigger audience, which could one day make MLS a likelier home for the Egyptian.
Neymar, the man Salah could potentially replace if the Saudis get their way, is a very good example of why Liverpool's talisman should have no interest in the switch. The Brazilian's time there should serve as a warning.
Since he moved to the region, Neymar has picked up mega money, but things have not gone well. In part, that has been through injury: in his first 18 months in Saudi Arabia, Neymar had an ACL injury and was restricted to just seven appearances lasting a combined 428 minutes. When he returned, he lasted 29 minutes before pulling his hamstring.
Only signing a two-year contract, Neymar will be a free agent in the summer. Al Hilal won't be renewing his $215m (£177m/€209m) annual salary and there was even a suggestion at one stage that his contract could be ripped up early with an admission from both sides that it hasn't worked out.
It would be silly to suggest that the Saudi project is only about soccer, though. In the main, it is designed to bring more eyes to the region and provide a level of entertainment that leads to a more positive image of the country.
For that reason, it is not just because of injuries that Neymar is likely to leave without making much of an impact. He hasn't been as keen as others — Cristiano Ronaldo, for instance — to publicly buy into the Saudi Pro League and he hasn't become a walking advert for it, which appears to be part of the deal.
If Neymar's spell in Saudi Arabia can go awry, it can happen to others. The injury wasn't the only reason that it hasn't worked out, and Salah should be wary as a result.