Mohamed Salah Liverpool transfer plan worrying reminder to Arsenal over Gabriel Magalhaes

Arsenal and Liverpool will face an anxious wait amid Saudi Arabia interest in Mohamed Salah and Gabriel Magalhaes that is set to be extended.

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The movements by Saudi Arabian sides in this transfer window have been the focus of the summer with plenty of high-profile players making the switch to the Middle East. Arsenal have not escaped focus either with a number of players including Thomas Partey and Nicolas Pepe being linked with a switch to clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

Arsenal have watched on as Neymar, Karim Benzema and Ruben Neves have made switches to join Cristiano Ronaldo in the league. But there is perhaps a more worrying factor that has been flying under the radar that supporters need to know.

Liverpool fans have been grinding their teeth at the potential loss of Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian international has been approached by Al-Ittihad and the side have been reportedly considering a bid upwards of £100million for the long-serving winger.

With days left of the transfer window, Arsenal find themselves in a similar position. Gabriel Magalhaes has been of interest to Saudi sides too and the Brazilian, despite not starting the first three Premier League games of the season, is still very much wanted according to Mikel Arteta.

“Gabi is a really important player for us and there is nothing going on with that at the moment,” he said. When pushed on the idea of players leaving this late for Saudi Arabia would be rejected he added: “The principle would be that but I cannot make the decision for the club.

“There are a lot of people involved in the process who would have a say on it. It would be on the table like any other offer and we would have to look at it, but it’s not ideal because now it’s a competitor.”

READ MORE: Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Done deal, Gabriel replacement, Smith Rowe exit, windfall boost

Yet what both Arsenal and Liverpool share is that the fear does not end on September 1 when the window in England closes. Arsenal will need to have completed all their incoming business by the deadline but the same does not go for clubs of other nations.

France, Belgium and Turkey all have deadlines beyond that of England but notably Saudi Arabia will not see their deadline close until September 20. This gives the clubs in the Pro League nearly three extra weeks to try and lure players to their projects.

This gives sides like Arsenal and Liverpool no ability at all to effectively replace their stars. Unlike in La Liga where clubs can sign players within 30 days of one of their players' buyout clauses being activated, like we saw with Atletico Madrid and Geoffrey Kondogbia after Arsenal paid Partey’s release clause in 2020, there’s nothing similar either Premier League side could do.

It is going to be an anxious wait it seems. One which Mikel Arteta could do without considering the important league games and Champions League return next month.