Mo Salah set to ANGER Cristiano Ronaldo as transfer decision made

Robin Bairner

4 Feb 2026 07:30 GMT
5 min read

Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, 2025/26 — © IMAGO

Mohamed Salah is set to fuel Cristiano Ronaldo’s growing anger in Saudi Arabia as the Liverpool star gears up for a spectacular summer transfer.

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Ronaldo has gone on strike in Saudi after feeling that his Al-Nassr side are not being given the same resources in the transfer market as their major league rivals. Al-Hilal’s signing of Karim Benzema has been a particular point of contention for the veteran Portuguese.

An update on Salah’s future, meanwhile, is only likely to frustrate the Manchester United and Real Madrid legend further.

Compared

Mohamed Salah

F, M (R)

Liverpool

Mohamed Salah

F, M (R)

Liverpool

VS

Cristiano Ronaldo

F (C)

Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo

F (C)

Al-Nassr

€46.1M	ETV	€10.4M
€41.5M - €50.8M	ETV Range	€9.4M - €11.5M
33 years old (15 Jun, 1992)	Age	40 years old (05 Feb, 1985)
Egypt	Nationality	Portugal

Salah to the Saudi Pro League: How close is a deal?

Salah has been earmarked as the player who will replace Benzema at Al-Ittihad in a deal that will significantly strengthen one of Al-Nassr’s direct rivals, WinWin claims.

“Bringing Salah to the Saudi Pro League has been the top priority for the recruitment committee officials for some time now, given his technical and marketing value,” a top source explained to the Arabic outlet.

“The officials are closely monitoring the player's situation with the English club in preparation for contacting him in the coming weeks.

“There has been no contact so far between the Roshan League officials and Mohamed Salah, but they see an opportunity to convince him to move to Saudi Arabia next summer, in addition to the opportunity to convince Liverpool that the next transfer window will be their last chance to get money from selling the Egyptian King’s contract.”

© IMAGO - Mo Salah: Frustrated at Liverpool this season

Ronaldo’s status is fading

Indeed, the Egypt international will eclipse Ronaldo in popularity if he completes a long-awaited move to the Saudi Pro League this summer.

Exactly how the already irritated five-time Ballon d’Or winner might cope with this is unclear.

Ronaldo still has 18 months to run on his deal in Saudi, but seems to be growing increasingly discontent, resulting in him sitting out Monday’s league clash with Al-Riyadh, apparently in protest of what he feels to be unfair treatment of Al-Nassr.

Salah move long on the cards

FootballTransfers exclusively revealed in August 2025 that this season will be Salah’s last at Liverpool, where he has gained iconic status.

This position has only been strengthened by the fact that the 33-year-old’s relationship with Liverpool manager Arne Slot was strained to the point of breaking earlier this season when he was repeatedly left out of the starting XI.

Salah felt he had been made a scapegoat for the Reds’ poor form and complained that the club had broken promises that they had made to him prior to his signing of a two-year deal.

While these issues largely appear to have been patched up, Salah’s form remains below the staggering peaks it hit during 2025/26, adding weight to the belief that he will leave at the end of the season.

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