Fronted by a $500-million splurge by Chelsea, Premier League clubs hurtled toward an unprecedented $3 billion outlay in European soccer’s summer transfer window that closed on Friday with Mohamed Salah still a Liverpool player despite a mammoth offer from Saudi Arabia.
England’s top clubs have flaunted their wealth over the last three months, dwarfing the outlay of their European rivals, but the Saudi Pro League emerged as a serious competitor in the market because of the backing of the kingdom’s sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund which claims assets of about $700 billion.
The crowning signing, they hoped, would be Salah — the Egypt superstar who is the most high-profile Arabic player — but Liverpool is standing firm in the face a reported verbal offer totaling 150 million pounds ($188 million) by Al-Ittihad, insisting the 31-year-old forward is not for sale.
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