Jason McAteer names the price Liverpool owners FSG would be prepared to sell Mo Salah for

Jason McAteer reckons that Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) could not turn down a £250 million bid for Mo Salah.

The Reds’ talisman remains coveted by Al-Ittihad ahead of the Saudi Arabian transfer window closing on Thursday. Liverpool have rebuffed one bid of up to £150 million with add-ons, with manager Jurgen Klopp steadfast that Salah is not for sale.

Reports have suggested that Al-Ittihad are preparing a world-record £215 million bid for the Egypt international, who has scored 188 goals since his arrival from AS Roma in 2017.

Debate has raged among supporters about whether Liverpool should cash in on Salah, who recently turned 31. The Reds would make more than five times the £37.9 million they paid for him. And McAteer reckons that should an offer as suggested land at FSG’s doorstep then they’ll find it hard to reject.

Speaking to Boyle Sports about the Premier League, he said: “Everyone's been caught by surprise. I think they've seen it coming but I don't think they realised how aggressive the Saudi League was going to be. They've been left to their own devices. And all of a sudden everyone sat up and thought: ‘This is the real deal’.

“It's got more sustainable than what China had when they tried to do it. There's a lot of money being thrown around. They’re making massive statements in the world of football. And it all came very, very quickly. And in that sense, I don't think anyone's sat down and quite realised that they've still got five or six days longer than the Premier League and all the European leagues to delve into the market. So it's left everyone worried. Now the event is here because they can still take whatever they want.

“I’ve read all the papers, and as much as Jurgen Klopp wants to bang the door and say he’s not for sale, everything's got a price in life. If they come knocking with £200-250 million, the owners, I just don't think they can turn that kind of money down for a 31-year-old who is in the last two years of this contract.”

Speaking on Salah’s future after Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Aston Villa, Klopp said: “Nobody came to me and told me something could happen or whatever. I’m pretty sure I would have got a call but I didn’t. And Mo didn’t look for a second like he thought about anything else other than about Aston Villa. He has unbelievable numbers but it’s not a surprise that he has the numbers. And he had chances on top of that, and involved in creating and setting up and all these kind of things. He’s a world-class player, no doubt about that. And I’m really pleased he is in my team.”