Liverpool 27-year-olds 'emerge as Saudi Arabia transfer targets'

The Reds have already seen some of their stars of yesterday jump ship for the Middle East in recent times, namely Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq) and Roberto Firmino (Al-Ahli).

However, the Public Investment Fund-backed sides have always had their eye on a blockbuster move for Mohamed Salah, whom Al-Ittihad failed to sign with a £150m bid in the summer of 2023.

While the Saudi Pro League will not give up on trying to prise Salah away from Liverpool, the Egypt international is expected to remain with the Merseyside giants for at least one more season, although his contract is up in the summer of 2025.

Plans to capture Salah are therefore on ice for the time being, but according to the Daily Mail, another two Reds are being eyed up by Saudi Arabia, who are now working to bring younger players to the division.

Luis Diaz, Joe Gomez on Saudi Pro League radar

The report claims that Colombian attacker Luis Diaz and English defender Joe Gomez are now on the Saudi Pro League's shortlist, two players who are facing uncertain futures under Arne Slot.

During their initial recruitment drive, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal predominantly focused on capturing superstar names, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema.

However, the PIF-backed clubs are now targeting players in the prime of their careers rather than top names in the twilight of their playing heyday, and both Diaz and Gomez fit the bill.

The pair both made 51 appearances for Liverpool during Jurgen Klopp's farewell 2023-24 campaign, but there is supposedly a consensus that they could be moved on as Slot shapes the squad into his own vision.

As a result, the Reds are supposedly braced for the Saudi Pro League to make a move for the pair in the coming weeks, although their contract situations mean that Liverpool can hold out for a high sum.

Could Diaz and Gomez leave Liverpool this summer?

With a combined 102 appearances between them in the 2023-24 season, Diaz and Gomez were stalwarts of the Klopp regime at Liverpool, but that certainly does not guarantee that they will hold the same status under Slot.

Diaz's record of 13 goals and five assists last term was nothing to be scoffed at, but the Colombia international was not consistently on top of his game throughout the season and has apparently been courted by Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain as well.

As Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota can also bomb down the left, Liverpool will supposedly be open to appropriate bids for Diaz, and the same goes for versatile defender Gomez, called up to England's provisional Euro 2024 squad thanks to his Reds revival.

Doing a competent job at left-back during Liverpool's injury crisis, Gomez is also contracted to Liverpool until 2027 but has supposedly asked the club to consider any suitable offers that are lodged.

Gomez is not believed to be desperate for an exit, but a move back to London would appeal to him, so Saudi Arabia can surely forget about capturing the former Charlton Athletic youngster after also failing with an approach in 2023.