Bringing Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah to the Saudi Pro League remains a top priority, according to SPL director of football Michael Emenalo.
Champions Al Ittihad spent the summer pursuing the Egypt international, reportedly tabling an offer worth up to £150 million in the final week of the transfer window.
The 31-year-old has a contract until 2025 and Liverpool have maintained throughout that he is not for sale.
But Emenalo told Sky Sports: "If it didn't happen, it's not because we no longer fancy the player, or because we have a problem with Liverpool.
"It's because certain things that need to align for all the parties involved in the process didn't align.
"Nobody is angry, we move on, but we absolutely close no doors and if the opportunity is there to do things and do it well – and it brings Mohamed Salah to the Saudi Pro League we will all be very grateful."
Salah has remained silent on the matter, but his manager Jurgen Klopp insists he is still fully focused on Liverpool.
The Reds forward scored against Aston Villa last weekend - his 188th goal for the club in 309 games - to help the team climb to third place in the fledgling Premier League table.
After that 3-0 win, Klopp said: “I never had any doubt about his commitment to this club. You can’t imagine how much fuss the world has made but how calm we are with it. He is our player and wants to play here.”
However, Emenalo suggested that further bids would be lodged in the future as the rapidly-expanding SPL looked to add the Arab world's pre-eminent footballer to its already stellar list of elite players.
"I've said before, privately and publicly that we welcome anybody that wants to come [to the SPL] and that includes Salah," said Emenalo.
"But we have to do things in a very professional and respectful manner. That's what we're there for, it's what the SPL has been refined to do - bring professionalism, respect of efficiencies, and to do things in a competent way."
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Neymar – PSG to Al Hilal. Fee: ($98.5m). Contract: TBC (2 years). @Alhilal_FC / twitter -
TOP SAUDI PRO LEAGUE DEALS 2023/24: Karim Benzema – Real Madrid to Al Ittihad. Fee: Free. Contract: $439 million (2 years). EPA -
N’Golo Kante – Chelsea to Al Ittihad. Fee: Free. Contract: $377.6m (2 years). EPA -
Sadio Mane – Bayern Munich to Al Nassr. Fee: $30.6m. Contract: $175.2m (4 years). Reuters -
Riyad Mahrez – Manchester City to Al Ahli. Fee: $38.4m. Contract: $150m (3 years). Reuters -
Jordan Henderson – Liverpool to Al Ettifaq. Fee: $15.3m. Contract: $140.4m (3 years). Reuters -
Marcelo Brozovic – Inter Milan to Al Nassr. Fee: $19.7m. Contract: $114m (3 years). Getty -
Kalidou Koulibaly – Chelsea to Al Hilal. Fee: $21.7m. Contract: $99m (3 years). AFP -
Fabinho – Liverpool to Al Ittihad. Fee: $51m. Contract: $81.9m (3 years). PA -
Malcom – Zenit St Petersburg to Al Hilal. Fee: $65.8m. Contract: $79.2m (4 years). AP -
Roberto Firmino – Liverpool to Al Ahli. Fee: Free. Contract: $66m (3 years). @ALAHLI_FC / Twitter -
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic – Lazio to Al Hilal. Fee: $44m. Contract: $66m (3 years). Reuters -
Jack Hendry – Club Brugge to Al Ettifaq. Fee: $8.3m. Contract: $58.2m (3 years). AFP -
Ruben Neves – Wolves to Al Hilal. Fee: $60m. Contract: $55.2m (3 years). AFP -
Seko Fofana – Lens to Al Nassr. Fee: $27.4m. Contract: $45.9m (3 years). AFP -
Allan Saint-Maximin – Newcastle United to Al Ahli. Fee: $32m. Contract: $38.1m (3 years). PA -
Jota – Celtic to Al Ittihad. Fee: $32m. Contract: $36.9m (3 years). AFP -
Edouard Mendy – Chelsea to Al Ahli. Fee: $20.4m. Contract: $36m (3 years). AFP -
Alex Telles – Manchester United to Al Nassr. Fee: $4.4m. Contract: $27m (3 years). AFP -
Moussa Dembele – Lyon to Al Ettifaq. Fee: Free. Contract: Unknown (4 years). AFP -
Franck Kessie - Barcelona to Al Ahli. Fee: $13.7m. Contract: Three years. Getty
