FIFA make transfer rule change to open the door for Al-Hilal to sign Mo Salah

A FIFA council have approved a change to the rules which could see Mohamed Salah join Al-Hilal before the Club World Cup this summer.

The Liverpool star has seen his contract wind down and it is looking increasingly likely that he'll leave Anfield. Salah hasn't been shy in speaking publicly about his situation and, despite excelling on the pitch, he claims there has been little talk from the club about a new deal.

The Egyptian admits he sees this as his final campaign with the Reds and Saudi Arabia has been touted as a likely destination. Al-Hilal are favourites to sign him with the club just ridding of Neymar, which frees up space in the squad for a marquee signing.

Salah is with Liverpool until the end of the campaign, but a tweak to the transfer window rules effectively introduces an “exceptional” transfer window from June 1 to 10, prior to the start of the Club World Cup. That is more than a week before the usual opening of the window, which this year is on June 12.

FIFA has green lighted regulations for the Club World Cup “which seek to address technicalities and equalise inconsistencies created by different registration periods… between participating clubs” in the competition.

The Telegraph reports that new rules would give Al-Hilal the chance to try and add Salah, or another player, to their squad so they could play for them in the Club World Cup, which begins on June 14 in the United States. Liverpool are not in the 2024 edition of the newly expanded tournament.

Al-Hilal are the Saudi champions and have a number of former Premier League players on their books - including Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo. Adding Salah would be a huge coup and give the team and the league even more prestige.

Al-Ittihad made a failed £150 million bid in 2023 for Salah as Liverpool dug their heels in. The Egyptian is currently topping the goalscoring charts but those at Anfield have allowed him, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold the chance to leave this summer with none of them yet penning new deals.

Neymar played only seven games for Al-Hilal with a serious knee injury hampering his career in the Middle East. He was signed from PSG for up to £86 million but has been allowed to leave the club by mutual consent and is now poised to make the move back to boyhood club Santos.