Mohamed Salah was ‘ready to leave’ Liverpool this summer and join Al-Ittihad, claims Michail Antonio… as he insists the Egyptian was ‘locked up’ by the Reds and told he would not be allowed to go

• Liverpool fought off strong interest from Al-Ittihad to keep Mohamed Salah
• The Reds rejected an initial £150m offer from the Saudi champions this month
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast It’s All Kicking Off!

Michail Antonio has claimed Mohamed Salah was keen to leave Liverpool this summer amid interest in the Eygptian star from Saudi Arabia.

One of the biggest stories during the back end of the transfer window was Salah‘s future at Anfield after the Reds rejected an initial £150million bid from Saudi champions Al-Ittihad.

Reports suggested they were prepared to go back in with a £200m offer but Jurgen Klopp’s side managed to stave off their interest and keep their player, until at least January.

During the brief saga, Klopp repeatedly stressed the speculation did not concern him, while Salah remained silent. 

And West Ham forward Antonio insisted the 31-year-old – who would have received an annual salary of £100m after tax for three years – was interested in the move, but the Reds outright refused to give him that opportunity.

Michail Antonio claimed Mohamed Salah wanted to join Al-Ittihad from Liverpool this summer

Antonio insisted Salah was ‘ready to go’ but the Reds refused to countenance a departure 

‘He didn’t turn that down, no way,’ Antonio told the Footballer’s Football Podcast.

‘He was locked up and the Reds had put that red arrow across: “You are not going anywhere”. 

‘He did not stop that at all. To be fair to him, he didn’t kick up a fuss and let them do what they were doing. But I know for a fact that he was ready to go.’ 

Despite the extortionate sums of money on offer in the Middle East, Antonio also argued Salah had other motivations for his move after a stellar six years at Anfield.

The Egyptian star has 188 goals for Liverpool and is fifth in their all-time goalscoring charts, while he has won every trophy available to him at the club.

He added: ‘What else can he do at Liverpool? He’s done it. It’s [Saudi] a great opportunity for him, he is a Muslim man and it had everything screaming out for him.

‘There was no actual negative for the man to not go. I understand he has a contract, which he has fulfilled.’ 

Al-Ittihad  are managed by Nuno Espirito Santo and had an initial bid worth £150m rejected

Salah is one of Liverpool’s greatest players of all-time, having scored 188 goals for the club

Salah hasn’t let the speculation distract him, with the 31-year-old scoring two goals and adding four assists in his first five games this season, as Liverpool remain unbeaten.

However, Mail Sport reported earlier this month how Al-Ittihad believe their pursuit to sign Salah is only on hold, and they plan to make another move in the future.

The Reds are back in action on Thursday when they face Austrian side LASK in the Europa League, before they take on West Ham on Sunday. 

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