Chris Sutton has claimed it would be a ‘scandalous’ decision from Mohamed Salah to leave Liverpool for Al-Ittihad this summer.

The Saudi Arabian club are ready to offer the Egyptian superstar a deal that would eclipse the £173million-per-year salary of Cristian Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has also downplayed rumours Salah could be leaving, while the player's agent Ramy Abbas Issa insisted earlier this month that the forward "remains committed to LFC".

Salah has been heavily linked with a move to Saudi club Al-Ittihad in recent weeks, with state-owned broadcaster KSA Sports TV claiming Liverpool's 2-1 win over Newcastle on Sunday would be Salah's final game for the Reds.

The Reds have already seen several star players depart to the Middle East this summer. Club captain Jordan Henderson joined Al-Ettifaq while Fabinho was signed by Al-Ittihad, who want to reunite the Brazilian with Salah for this upcoming campaign.

Furthermore, Roberto Firmino departed Anfield as a free agent and joined Al-Ahli, while former Reds star Sadio Mane joined Ronaldo at Al-Nassr following one unsuccessful season with Bayern Munich – with fresh reports on Tuesday suggesting Joe Gomez may also be on his way to the Middle East.

However, while the Saudi window remains open until 20 September – the Premier League window, like those across European football, closes on Friday. “My thoughts are Mo Salah cannot leave Liverpool at this time to go to Saudi. Just based on the timing of it,” former striker Sutton has spoken on the It's All Kicking Off podcast.

“We're a couple of days now to the end of the window. I think that would be scandalous if Mo Salah decided to leave and leave Liverpool in the lurch. 'Now, if this was a deal which was in the pipeline a month, five, six weeks ago, do you know what? I'd understand it.”

Sutton added that Salah angling for a move away would “be a real slap across the face for Jurgen Klopp”, and he continued: “Klopp is a guy who actually turned Mo Salah into the world-class player, which he is, a guy who has shown great loyalty to Salah, and I get Salah's shown great loyalty to Liverpool, but I feel Mo Salah owes Jurgen Klopp one as well.”