Saudi player went on emotional rollercoaster when he saw his team signed Salah

An Al-Adalah midfielder experienced an emotional rollercoaster last season when rumors swirled that Mohamed Salah was joining the club, only to realise it wasn't the Liverpool star but a player sharing his name.

In an explosive year for the Saudi Pro League, Cristiano Ronaldo headlined the proceedings by signing for Al-Nassr. He was joined by other notable names including Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema, Chelsea's N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly, along with Ruben Neves of Wolves.

A few familiar faces from Liverpool made the switch too, with Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and ex-skipper Jordan Henderson making mega-money moves to Saudi clubs. Sadio Mane, too, left, joining Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.

While Salah remained with the Reds after penning a new three-year deal the previous year, he was still tantalisingly linked with a record-breaking $190 million swoop from the Saudi league. A notion that Liverpool easily brushed aside.

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However, for Edson, the Brazilian defensive midfielder at Al-Adalah, the idea of playing alongside the Egyptian sensation seemed like a done deal when the club signed a player named Salah on June 24, 2023. While speaking to ESPN Brazil, he recollected how he had initially celebrated the news.

He shared: "Regarding Salah, I thought it was Liverpool's. It turned out not to be, I was hoping that was it. Arab football is growing a lot every year and if Salah went there, it wouldn't be something out of this world."

The player in question turned out to be a left back from Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Salah Belu, who only managed to make three appearances for the club in the previous season. During his interview, Edson also shared his thoughts on the league's burgeoning financial clout, albeit with an optimistic perspective.

"People are investing a lot in Arab football, they want to make a stronger league every year. I'm happy to participate in this magical moment that football there is experiencing. They have always invested. The presidents, the league, the Saudi Federation. But the investment power has been increasing every year, and now it has increased even more. This is good for the country, which is very fond of football.

"It is a country that league has a lot to grow. Automatically, with the best players going there, everyone else will want to go too. If one goes, the other wants to go too. I'm happy to represent the club in this very important moment.

"They have a plan for 2030, who want to transform Saudi Arabia as they did in Dubai. To attract tourists, they are investing heavily in the structure of cities. I am sure that the Saudi Championship will be among the six, seven best in the world. I have no doubt about that, because it is growing a lot every year."