Liverpool is no stranger to interest from the Saudi Pro League from its players. Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker are already believed to be on its wishlist, and fellow first-team stars Luis Díaz and Joe Gomez have now joined them.
The league is ramping up plans to bring over more big-name players. It already landed the likes of Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino last summer, despite falling short in its attempts to tempt Liverpool to part with Mohamed Salah.
A change in league rules allowing more foreign players will now see a fresh influx of lucrative transfer bids this summer – and Liverpool could be in the firing line again. The Guardian reported earlier this month that Salah and Alisson remain two of its priorities.
And the Daily Mail now adds that Díaz and Gomez are among the league’s top targets as it now aims to attract younger players in their prime rather than just focusing on ageing stars. Both players are 27 and were first-team regulars under outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp.
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Despite their success at Liverpool, it’s claimed there is a belief both could be open to moves with Klopp leaving and replaced by Arne Slot. As a result, the Saudi Pro League is keeping an eye, having had interest in Gomez last summer only to be knocked back.
Díaz has also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. However, he recently insisted he is happy at Anfield.
He said: “You learn more and more to be a professional, to be a better person, to be a good team-mate and a good guy.
“The truth is that I am very happy to be here. Great years are coming for the club, I have no doubt about that.”
Gomez made 52 appearances in all competitions last season with his versatility making him a key player for Klopp’s side. However, it’s likely there will be some movement at Liverpool this summer as the squad continues to evolve, with defence one area where new signings have been linked.
Young defender Sepp van den Berg will also return from a strong loan spell at Mainz. According to The Athletic, he will have a chance to impress Slot in preseason before a decision is made on his future with interest from other clubs in Europe.
Liverpool.com says: Both Gomez and Díaz have been valuable players for Liverpool, and it would be a shame to see either leave for Saudi Arabia at this stage in their careers. With Salah and Alisson also on the radar, there’s no shortage of interest in Liverpool first-team stars from that part of the world.
However, it seems unlikely Liverpool would want to let Gomez leave given his ability to plug in across the back four and his reliability last season. Díaz is a more intriguing case, but if he did depart it would surely be more likely to join another top European club than head to the Middle East.