Mohamed Salah is leaving Liverpool. There is no ambiguity left, no contract talks to hope for, no late twist to anticipate. The club have confirmed it, the player has confirmed it, and the 33-year-old Egyptian forward has said his goodbyes in a video message that described his departure as the closing of "the first part" of his farewell. At the end of the 2025-26 season, one of the greatest players in Premier League history will walk out of Anfield for the last time as a Liverpool footballer.
The numbers Salah leaves behind are staggering. More than 200 Premier League goals. Back-to-back Golden Boots. A Champions League, a Premier League title, and practically every individual honour the English game offers. He arrived from Roma in the summer of 2017 under Jürgen Klopp for £36.9 million and transformed the football club. Now, nearly nine years later, he is leaving — and the manner of his exit has been messier than anyone at Liverpool would have wished.
The Rift That Ended His Anfield Career
Relations between Salah and Liverpool manager Arne Slot have been strained for most of this season. The flashpoint came in December, when Liverpool drew 3-3 at Leeds United and Salah publicly accused the club of making him a scapegoat, claiming he was "thrown under the bus" following a post-match briefing from Slot's camp. The Egyptian insisted that his relationship with the Dutch manager was "nonexistent," an extraordinary public declaration from a player of his standing at a club renowned for keeping its internal dynamics private.
Behind the scenes, the rift never healed. Salah continued to perform — he has managed 18 goals this season despite the turbulence — but the environment around him at Melwood became increasingly fractured. Liverpool's leadership decided over the winter that this would be his final campaign at the club, and by March, a formal announcement confirming his departure was merely a formality. Slot, for his part, has said little publicly, leaving the interpretation of events largely open.
Where Salah Goes From Here
The question of where a 33-year-old Mohamed Salah ends up next is genuinely fascinating, and for now, unresolved. Saudi Arabia has circled him for over two years, with Al-Ittihad the most persistent suitor and Al-Hilal now reported to have entered the conversation. A Saudi move would make financial sense — the league has shown it can attract and retain global superstars — but Salah has never seemed particularly enthusiastic about that destination, at least not publicly.
MLS in the United States has also been floated, following the recent pattern of European legends extending their careers in American football. But those close to Salah suggest he believes he still has something to offer at the highest level, and that a premature move to a retirement league does not yet appeal. The summer will tell the full story.
Liverpool Now Face Their Greatest Challenge Since Klopp Left
For Arne Slot, the job of replacing Salah is the defining task of his Liverpool tenure. Rafael Leão of AC Milan is the most prominently linked name, with Liverpool having reportedly contacted Milan to discuss a £60 million deal. Michael Olise of Bayern Munich, currently enjoying an excellent season in Germany, has also attracted interest. Neither is a direct replacement for Salah's output — but then, there is nobody quite like Salah. The club will have to find a different kind of answer to fill the right-flank void he leaves behind. One thing is certain: the Salah era at Liverpool — in the truest sense of that word — is over.
Player context: Mohamed Salah, 33 | Current club: Liverpool (contract expires June 2026) | Nationality: Egyptian | Liverpool stats (all competitions): 232 goals, 96 assists in 354 appearances | 2025/26 season: 18 goals, 8 assists | Signed from: AS Roma, July 2017, £36.9m | Major honours at Liverpool: Premier League (2020), Champions League (2019), FA Cup (2022), League Cup (2022, 2024).
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