Al-Ittihad attempted to sign Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, according to Saudi Arabia's sports minister Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal.
The Saudi Pro League giants were linked with the Egypt international on more than one occasion in the past, but failed to lure the player.
Al-Ittihad tried to lure the 32-year-old with an astronomical loan offer.
"We received a statement from the club (Al-Ittihad) that there is a desire to sign Mohamed Salah. The amount was, of course, astronomical," Al Faisal said on the podcast Thmanyah.
"The agreement concerned a one-year loan. Salah's contract was valid (with Liverpool), and therefore we cannot negotiate with him without the club's permission.
"We asked if there was a desire to release Mohamed Salah, and they said no... and this closed the matter because the club does not want to release him."
The Egyptian's deal at Anfield expires in the summer of 2025.
