Al-Ittihad have announced the sacking of manager Nuno Espirito Santo as the club sit sixth in the Saudi Pro League, 11 points off leaders Al Hilal and winless in five matches.
Best known for his reigns at Wolverhampton Wanderers and and Tottenham Hotspur, the Portuguese coach was one of the first to test the waters by signing up for a role in the Gulf state 16 months ago.
But this has evidently not worked out – a loss to Iraqi opponents Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya being the final straw – despite splashing Saudi Public Investment Fund-backed riches on the likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and notably Fabinho from Liverpool.
Also during that time came a barrage of rumours linking Reds talisman Mohamed Salah with joining Nuno. The Egyptian was subject to a £150m verbal bid in the summer from Al-Ittihad, only be to rebuffed instantly by Anfield chiefs.
About the saga, Jurgen Klopp said last week: “I don’t know anything about an offer or whatever,” Klopp added. “But it is not important. Mo is here, Mo never came to me and wanted to go.
“I didn’t think a second about it to be honest. Should we or not? Yes, he is here. He feels extremely well, you can see he is enjoying the team a lot. The other stuff I never thought about that, and hope I don’t have to.”
Plenty has been said about renewed interest emerging in either the January or summer transfer windows, as the 31-year-old approaches the final year of his current deal, though the first question the interested club have created for themselves and now must answer is ‘who will be their next manager?
