Liverpool reject £150m Mohamed Salah bid as Brighton sign Barcelona’s Ansu Fati

By Sports Desk September 01, 2023

Liverpool rejected a £150million offer for Mohamed Salah from Saudi Arabia Pro League side Al-Ittihad while Brighton completed the signing of Barcelona forward Ansu Fati.

Salah has been the subject of interest from the Middle East for some time and the PA news agency understands a verbal offer was made on Friday.

However, the club have rejected it out of hand and consider the matter closed as the forward is not for sale.

The offer is understood to have been £100m up front with a further £50m in add-ons.

Brighton have signed Fati on a season-long loan from the Catalan giants.

The 20-year-old Spain international made 36 LaLiga appearances last season for Xavi’s men as they went on to win the title.

“This is a great deal for all of us,” Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi said on the Premier League club’s website.

“I am sure Ansu will help us to reach a new target and we can help him get back to the level he deserves to be.”

Fati came through the Barcelona academy, making his senior debut in August 2019 and later became the club’s youngest goalscorer in both LaLiga and the Champions League.

Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United were all doing early business.

City completed the signing of Matheus Nunes from Wolves.

After overcoming some minor sticking points in final negotiations over an initial £47.3m deal on Wednesday night, both clubs were able to come to an agreement on a £53million move – a club-record sale for Wolves.

The 25-year-old Portugal international was keen to move to the Etihad Stadium and did not train with Wolves in order to push the move through.

Midfielder Tommy Doyle, 21, heads the other way, joining the Molineux club on a season-long loan with the option to make the switch permanent next summer.

Doyle’s exit follows that of fellow City academy product Cole Palmer, who has joined Chelsea on a seven-year contract.

The PA news agency understands Chelsea will pay an initial £40million for the 21-year-old with an additional £2.5m in possible add-ons.

Manchester United confirmed the signing of Turkey international goalkeeper Altay Bayindir from Fenerbahce.

The 25-year-old has signed an initial four-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option of a further year.

Bayindir is the second goalkeeper signed by the Red Devils this summer and will provide competition to fellow new arrival Andre Onana.

“It is a huge honour to join Manchester United and become the first Turkish player to represent this incredible club,” Bayindir said in the statement announcing his signing.

United could add further recruits on deadline day, with a loan move for Tottenham full-back Sergio Reguilon close to completion.

Nottingham Forest signed Arsenal full-back Nuno Tavares on a season-long loan, with the option of making it permanent.

“Forest is a historic club which won two European Cups and to be part of it makes me really happy,” he said.

“I’m really happy to stay in the Premier League as it’s the best league in the world and I’m thankful to Forest for giving me that opportunity.”

Forest forward Brennan Johnson continued to be linked with a move to Tottenham.

Aston Villa brought in French defender Clement Lenglet on a season-long loan from Barcelona.

The centre-half spent last season on loan at Spurs, making 35 appearances in all competitions.

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