Al Ittihad aim to extend perfect start as Mohamed Salah rumours intensify

Defending champions Al Ittihad will aim to extend their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season when they travel to Al Wehda on Monday as rumours linking the club with a move for Liverpool star Mohamed Salah continue to intensify.

Ittihad have started the campaign with three straight wins as marquee summer signing Karim Benzema scored his first league goal last time out in the 4-0 win over Al Riyadh.

As the Jeddah giants prepare for their trip to the King Abdul Aziz Stadium, the big news surrounding the club focuses on their reported interest in Egyptian star Salah.

Ittihad had been keen to sign the 31-year-old forward earlier in the summer, prompting Salah's agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, to take to social media to deny the rumours. However, the Saudi side revived their interest in Salah this week and are reportedly prepared to break the Saudi transfer record to land their man.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp responded on Friday by insisting there was "nothing" to the speculation and that he expects his star player to remain at Anfield. In the days since then, though, various media outlets have reported that Salah has expressed a desire to leave for Ittihad and that Sunday's match against Newcastle could be his last for Liverpool.

Should Salah make the move to Ittihad, it would significantly bolster the club's trophy ambitions and continue to enhance the profile of the Saudi Pro League, which has seen several big stars arrive this summer.

He could also be the fourth player to leave Liverpool for Saudi clubs this summer, following Roberto Firmino's move to Al Ahli, Jordan Henderson to Al Ettifaq, and Fabinho, with whom he would immediately reunite at Ittihad.

Former teammate Sadio Mane, who left Liverpool for Bayern Munich