There was always going to be a last time. A final sprint down the right channel, a final goal at Anfield, a final bow to the Kop. In March 2026, Liverpool and Mohamed Salah reached a mutual agreement to terminate his contract a year early, allowing the Egyptian forward to leave as a free agent at the end of the season. The announcement was quiet — no press conference, no guard of honour — but the significance of what it marked could not be understated. For nine years, Salah was not just Liverpool's best player. He was one of the best players in the world, and he was theirs.
The Numbers That Define His Liverpool Career
It is worth pausing on what Salah actually produced during his time at Anfield. He arrived from Roma in the summer of 2017 for £37 million — a fee that looked reasonable at the time and became one of the greatest pieces of recruitment in Premier League history. In his debut season he scored 44 goals in all competitions, obliterating the single-season league record with 32. Over the following eight years he became the club's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Ian Rush's record. He won the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup. He scored in Champions League finals. He was, consistently and repeatedly, the player Liverpool could point to and say — this is who we are. Few players in the modern game have meant more to a single club.
The Falling Out with Slot — and What It Tells Us
The departure was not entirely harmonious. Salah publicly criticised Arne Slot in December 2025, telling a journalist that his relationship with the manager was "nonexistent" and claiming the club had made him a scapegoat after a 3-3 draw at Leeds. Those were striking words from a player of his stature, and they suggested a breakdown in the working relationship that went beyond mere tactical disagreement. Slot, for his part, continued to select Salah — the numbers still demanded it — but the dynamic was clearly different from the one Salah had enjoyed under Jurgen Klopp. Whether the split was inevitable given the contract situation, or whether the public fallout accelerated it, is a question only those inside the club can fully answer.
Al-Ittihad and the Saudi Chapter Ahead
Al-Ittihad remain the frontrunner to sign Salah when his Liverpool deal officially expires this summer. A Saudi Pro League move has been mooted since at least 2023, and the financial package on offer — widely reported to be the largest ever offered to a footballer — is one Liverpool were never going to match. Salah turns 34 in June. He is still playing at an elite level, still contributing double-digit goals and assists. Whether the Saudi league is the right arena for the final chapter of a career this decorated is a debate that football fans will have. What is not in debate is the scale of what he gave to Liverpool. It will be a very long time before anyone comes close.
Career context: Mohamed Salah at Liverpool, 2017–2026. Appearances: 349. Goals: 232. Assists: 100. Trophies: Premier League (2020), Champions League (2019), FA Cup (2022), League Cup (2022, 2024). Contract terminated by mutual consent: March 2026. Primary next destination: Al-Ittihad (Saudi Pro League).
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