Transfer Notebook: Salah still wanted in mega Saudi deal, £52m Man United star facing axe, Man City signing wants out after five months

Dec 2, 2025 - 14:45

Mohamed Salah remains firmly on the radar of Saudi Pro League clubs amid his drop in form at Liverpool.

Salah turned down a £500million move to the Middle East to sign a new two-year contract at Liverpool at the back end of last season.

This season has not gone to plan for Liverpool or Salah, who was dropped by Arne Slot in their last game

But sources have told talkSPORT that Saudi deal-makers remain committed to recruiting the Egyptian superstar at some point.

The 33-year-old has failed to hit the heights of last season’s Premier League title winning campaign and was dropped to the bench for Sunday’s 2-0 win at West Ham.

That raises the intriguing possibility of the move being revitalised as early as next summer.

It is still believed Al Hilal are a leading contender for Salah but Al-Qadsiah have also expressed interest.

As well as Salah, talkSPORT can also reveal lawyers have begun working on a deal to take unsettled Real Madrid ace Vinicius Junior to Saudi and make him the world’s highest-paid player.

In-demand boss keeps options open

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is likely to keep the Cherries sweating over his future.

Iraola is one of a number of high-profile Premier League managers with contracts expiring at the end of this season, along with Marco Silva – who has been tipped by one of his own players to join a ‘bigger club’ – and Oliver Glasner.

Cherries owner Bill Foley is desperate to tie the Spaniard down to a new deal after overseeing the Dorset side’s best ever Premier League campaign last season.

But talkSPORT understands Iraola, interviewed by Tottenham before they appointed Thomas Frank, would like to wait until nearer the end of the season.

Historically, Iraola has preferred to work on one-year rolling deals and it was seen as a coup when Bournemouth got him to extend for two years in May 2024.

Ugarte could be on his way out of Old Trafford after less than two years with the Premier League giants

£52m United star facing axe

Manuel Ugarte’s future at Manchester United is looking increasingly bleak.

Ugarte was one of the players targeted for criticism by Ruben Amorim in the wake of finishing 16th in the Premier League last season.

This term the Uruguayan seems to have completely lost the faith of his manager after starting only two of 13 Premier League games.

United are planning a major overhaul of their midfield next summer and are willing to break their club transfer record to sign one of Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton or Elliot Anderson.

That inevitably means casualties and Ugarte being allowed to move on, with reports the club have identified as many as ten other players who could follow him out the door.

A January exit would see the midfielder depart Old Trafford just 18 months after United spent £52million – including add-ons – to sign him from Paris Saint-Germain.

Trafford signed for City in the summer but hasn’t played in the Premier League since the arrival of Gigi Donnarumma

City’s summer signing wants out

Manchester City are reluctant to allow want-away James Trafford to leave, talkSPORT understands.

Trafford is looking to quit the Etihad having only returned to his boyhood club from Burnley in the summer after losing his place to Gigi Donnarumma.

The 23-year-old knows he faces an uphill battle to land a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad if he is not playing regular first-team football.

Trafford has interest from Wolves as well as several European sides.
However, City boss Pep Guardiola would prefer to keep Trafford and offload Stefan Ortega instead.