Liverpool’s Egyptian talisman Mohamed Salah has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for La Liga champions Barcelona.
As per reports from Spanish publication Don Balon, Barcelona have received a boost in their pursuit of Liverpool’s goal-machine Mohamed Salah.
The Catalan giants are understood to be targeting a move for the Egyptian forward, as they view him as the ideal successor to club captain Lionel Messi. A report from the same outlet claimed last month that Barca were plotting a €250 million swoop for the 26-year in the next summer window.
Salah joined Liverpool a year ago, arriving from Italian club AS Roma and soon established himself as one of the top marksmen across Europe. The former Chelsea striker plundered goals for fun, as he finished the 2017-18 campaign with 44 goals and 16 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions. He has scored and assisted two goals apiece already in the ongoing season.
The 26-year old’s goalscoring exploits saw Barcelona’s arch-rivals Real Madrid make an attempt to sign him in the summer window. Los Blancos were desperately in need of a marquee signing following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. However, Salah snubbed the 13-time UEFA Champions League winners and instead signed a new contract with Liverpool.
This hasn’t dissuaded the Merengues from keeping tabs on the Egyptian. However, as per latest reports the striker is understood to favour a move to Barcelona over Madrid in the future, handing the Catalans a major boost in their bid to bring him to Camp Nou next year.
The report claims that Salah does not want to share a dressing room with Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, after the pair were involved in a controversial incident in the last term’s Champions League final in Kiev. The attacker suffered a shoulder injury that forced him off the field in the first-half, after tangling with the Merengues’ captain.
The pair had an awkward reunion a week ago at the Champions League draw. Ramos was seated behind Salah and after picking up the prize for best defender, he tapped the Liverpool man on his left shoulder – the one that was injured in the final in Kiev. While others around him congratulated Ramos, the Egyptian didn’t even acknowledge the Madrid captain.
Given the frosty relationship between the two, the 26-year old is understood to prefer a move to Barcelona instead, where he would be reunited with former Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho.
Considering Luis Suarez’s wilting form in the new season, Barcelona are very much likely to dip their toes in the transfer market next summer for attacking reinforcements. And while Salah has provided no hints of wanting to leave Liverpool anytime soon, an approach from the reigning La Liga champions might force him to consider his future at Anfield.
