Al-Ettifaq have secured the signature of Demarai Gray and appeared to be mocking Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp over their missed signing, Mohamed Salah.
The Englishman has left the Merseyside neighbors, Everton, and joined the Saudi Pro League side.
He is the latest to join Gerrard’s team alongside Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum. The 27-year-old joined the Saudi outfit in a deal worth £10 million.
However, the Saudi side took a dig at the Liverpool boss in the announcement video of Gray. They seem to have taken shots at the German over his refusal to let go of Mo Salah in this transfer window.
Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp mocked by Al-Ettifaq
While it is evident that the Egyptian was the main target of the Saudi League, their desperation was very high.
Al-Ittihad failed to land the 31-year-old with a humongous bid of £200 million in the final days of the transfer window.
However, their bitterness regarding their rivals’ missed chance is evident in the latest announcement video of another player.
In a video posted on their official Twitter account to announce the Gray deal, an ‘Ettifaq transfer game’ is played.
It shows the Saudi side selecting various teams to sign players from. As Liverpool are selected, they choose Mo Salah before showing a ‘No!’ alongside an angry Klopp face.
They later moved to Aston Villa where they put an arrival stamp on Phillipe Coutinho’s passport. It suggests that the player is a target for the club and is on the verge of transfer.
Finally, Everton are selected Gray is chosen and his transfer is announced. But it wasn’t before they removed the words ‘Gray to Al-Shabab’ and replaced it with ‘Gray to Al-Ettifaq’ alongside an image of transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano.
Gray departs the Merseyside days after appearing to be making a remark on manager Sean Dyche.
“Everton fans have always been great with me but it’s so difficult to play for someone who don’t show you respect as a person,”
Gray wrote on Instagram
The Everton boss responded in an interview saying that the England international didn’t want to train and didn’t want to be there.
Salah set to stay at Anfield, for now
Finally, this transfer saga has been put to rest, at least for now. The 31-year-old is set to stay at Anfield for now after the Reds rejected heavy bids from the Saudi team.
But, reports suggest that the Saudi Pro League side are set to return with a world record bid of £200M for the winger. It is evident that the Egyptian is important to Saudi Arabia and its footballing image.
The transfer window in the Gulf State closes on Thursday evening, so it certainly is a race against time if they are to get their man.
Salah, who has netted 187 goals in 307 appearances for the club since 2017, has two years left on his current deal. Klopp, however, has remained adamant all along the Egypt international is not for sale.
“The position remains the same, absolutely. There’s no doubt about that. He cannot go, that’s how it is. So there’s nothing else to say.”
I’m a football enthusiast and an avid writer and someone who lives by the Bill Shankly quote, on a day to day basis.
