Liverpool transfer news: £50m Mo Salah replacement 'packing bags' as new stance revealed

Liverpool are likely to miss out on a rumoured transfer target, as Sporting Lisbon winger Francisco Trincao is reportedly giving serious consideration to a move to Saudi Arabia.

The Portugal international - who is currently representing the Selecao at the 2026 World Cup - had been name-checked as a potential Mohamed Salah replacement at Anfield.

It was reported last month that Liverpool were the 'closest' to triggering a £50m release clause in Trincao's Sporting contract, which was renewed in March until the summer of 2030.

Chelsea had also been linked with a swoop for the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man, but he is now looking increasingly likely to leave European football behind.

According to A Bola - via Sport Witness - Trincao is 'increasingly open' to making the move to the Middle East, despite the reported interest from clubs in Europe.

Liverpool-linked Francisco Trincao 'increasingly open' to Saudi move

The report states that Trincao's number one choice would still be a return to the Premier League, where the 26-year-old scored two goals and provided one assist in 28 games during his time at Wolves.

However, if no switch to England materialises for the attacker, a Saudi Pro League transfer is a 'genuine possibility' and seemingly his second choice for a summer move.

Regardless, an exit from Sporting is ostensibly a formality for Trincao, who is allegedly 'packing his bags' and preparing to depart as soon as Portugal return home from the World Cup.

Sporting are under no illusions that Trincao wants to take the next step in his career, and they will make a heathy profit on the Portugal international if his release clause is triggered.

Sporting paid £15.4m to sign Trincao from Barcelona in 2023 following a successful loan spell, since when he has managed 47 goals and 51 assists in 208 appearances across all tournaments.

Trincao has only played a bit-part role for Portugal at the World Cup, though, having been an unused substitute in three of the Selecao's four games so far.

Would Liverpool regret missing out on Francisco Trincao?

Trincao may be a like-for-like replacement for Salah positionally, but Liverpool are never thought to have made the Portuguese one of their prime targets to bolster their attack.

Furthermore, Sporting were supposedly expecting more interest from Premier League clubs who would be challenging for European qualification, rather than those with ambitions of winning the title.

With Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola still front and centre of the transfer talk, Liverpool are unlikely to lose sleep over losing out on Trincao.