Liverpool star Mohammed Salah could line up against Cristiano Ronaldo as Al-Nassr rivals confident of surprise deal: Reports

According to TEAMtalk, Neymar’s potential departure from Al-Hilal could present Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah with an opportunity to establish a rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

ESPN recently reported that Neymar is closing in on a return to his childhood club Santos, as his current contract with Al-Hilal is likely to be terminated. The Brazilian’s injury woes have persisted since he moved to the Middle East, which has consequently curtailed his game time.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah, who is currently having a good time in Liverpool, will have his contract with the Merseyside club run out at the end of the season. Amid the uncertainty surrounding Salah’s future, he has been linked with an exit from Anfield, with Al-Hilal said to be one of the favorites to acquire his services.

In November, El Nacional claimed that the Saudi Pro League club were in talks with Salah as they see him as a potential replacement for Neymar. Of recent, The Independent claimed the Middle Eastern giants are set to offer the Egyptian a two-year deal worth £65 million amid his uncertain future.

Neymar’s return to Santos will eliminate his £138 million annual salary from the wage bill and would enable Al-Hilal to create financial flexibility for a potential move for Mohamed Salah.

Saudi Pro League’s chief negotiators are keen on bringing Salah to the Middle East. They are looking to make him a poster boy for the league alongside Cristiano Ronaldo to elevate the league’s status.

Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo have continued to strut their stuff in front of goals at their respective clubs. They also both top the goalscoring charts in their respective leagues.

---

Former Chelsea boss says Liverpool have a top player on their hands who can be Mohamed Salah’s replacement

Ex-Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has claimed that Liverpool has a replacement for Mohamed Salah in their squad in the form of Federico Chiesa. The Italian manager asserted that his compatriot has a lot of attributes that a player needs to succeed in the Premier League.

Chiesa joined Liverpool last summer from Juventus. He has, however, sat out several games for the Reds due to injury. Di Matteo waxed lyrical about the former Juve man, claiming he will be a big asset for the Reds in the second half of the season.

Di Matteo told BetMGM (via Mirror):

“I really think Liverpool have a top, top player on their hands in [Federico] Chiesa. He’s got so many attributes that you need to do really well in the Premier League – he’s fast, he can go past a defender and he knows where the goal is."

“He doesn’t have a good injury record and that’s the big question mark with him. If he can get over those injuries and have a good run in the team, then Liverpool will reap the rewards because he’s a hell of a player. He’s one of the best in Italy, that’s for sure. I really hope he can stay fit just so everyone in England can see the talent he has.

“Liverpool was a great move for him and I do think he’ll be an asset for them in the second half of the season. They’ve got a lot of options at the top end of the pitch, but they’re still in all of the competitions so they’re going to need everyone to contribute. English fans haven’t seen the best of him yet, but I really like him and expect him to have a big impact," he added.