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Speculation around elite forwards always grows louder in January, especially when two of Europe’s biggest clubs are involved. Real Madrid and Liverpool are no strangers to transfer noise. Injuries, form dips, and contract situations tend to create stories that travel fast across the continent.
This winter has been no different, with Madrid forced to review short-term options after a setback in attack, while Liverpool continue to manage a delicate balance around one of their most influential players.
From a Liverpool point of view, the timing of the rumours says a lot. The season is deep, the schedule is heavy, and every top side is protecting its core players.
Madrid’s January strategy has often been conservative, even when pressure builds. Liverpool, meanwhile, are navigating a new era under Arne Slot while keeping an eye on stability.
When these situations collide, names like Mohamed Salah will always surface, even if reality rarely follows the headlines.
That context matters here, because this is not a normal transfer window story. It is driven more by circumstance than intent.
Madrid’s need is temporary. Liverpool’s situation is complex but controlled. That alone makes any dramatic outcome hard to imagine.
The details explain why. According to Defensa Central, Salah’s representatives offered the Liverpool forward to Real Madrid, which led to internal discussions at Valdebebas. The idea gained brief traction after Kylian Mbappe picked up an injury, with Salah seen as an experienced option to cover the gap. His agents have also offered him to other clubs, with Roma named among those approached.
However, the numbers ended the conversation quickly. A proposed loan from January to June would cost around €12 million gross, roughly €6 million net. Madrid consider that figure excessive for a six-month spell and not aligned with their winter policy. As a result, the move has been ruled out.
From Liverpool’s side, Salah remains under contract until 2027. While there has been tension this season, including a period where he was left out under Slot, relations have since improved and he is back in regular action.
Liverpool are understood to be exploring long-term exit scenarios, but a January solution is not straightforward. All signs point to the same conclusion.
The link may be real, but the move is probably unlikely. The cost is too high for Madrid, and the timing works against Liverpool. This looks more like a story shaped by opportunity than one headed for a dramatic finish.
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