When Mohamed Salah steps out onto the Anfield pitch towards Brentford this Sunday, it is going to be for the final time as a Liverpool participant.
After 9 extraordinary years, one of many best gamers within the membership’s storied historical past will take his bow – and soccer will spend the summer time ready to search out out the place he lands subsequent.
Earlier within the season, the membership confirmed that Salah had reached an settlement with the Reds to deliver his time at Anfield to an in depth on the finish of the 2025-26 season.
With 257 objectives in 438 appearances, he’s the third-highest scorer in Liverpool’s historical past, and a haul of main honours that features two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the FIFA Membership World Cup.
Throughout the 2025-26 marketing campaign, relations between Salah and head coach Arne Slot collapsed because the season wore on, with the 33-year-old publicly criticising the workforce’s taking part in model following a 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa, calling for a return to the “heavy metallic attacking” soccer that made Liverpool so feared beneath Jurgen Klopp.
Slot has remained non-committal about whether or not Salah will even begin Sunday’s farewell fixture, leaving the prospect of an anti-climactic goodbye hanging within the air.
A minor muscle harm picked up towards Crystal Palace in late April added additional uncertainty to the departure, although Salah has made clear by a collection of health club updates on social media that he’s match and prepared.
Regardless of the method of his exit, Salah departs as a Liverpool immortal. The query now consuming the footballing world is what comes subsequent.
101GreatGoals takes a take a look at 5 golf equipment he may be a part of as a free agent this summer time.
1. Al-Ittihad (Saudi Professional League)
The membership which have wished Salah the longest, and the vacation spot that many insiders nonetheless think about the most definitely consequence. Al-Ittihad made a staggering $200 million bid for Salah again in September 2023, a transfer Liverpool rebuffed with barely a second thought.
The Saudi giants have since misplaced Karim Benzema to Al-Hilal, leaving a superstar-shaped void on the prime of their squad.
The Saudi Professional League is certainly one of a tiny handful of leagues on the planet able to matching or exceeding Salah’s present Premier League wages, and with Salah accessible on a free switch, all cash might be directed in direction of the wage bundle.
The cultural angle is critical too, as arguably the world’s most distinguished Muslim athlete, Salah would characterize an unlimited symbolic coup for the league and for the Kingdom.
Al-Ittihad have type in touchdown marquee names – they introduced in N’Golo Kante and Benzema – and they’ll make no secret of their ambitions this summer time.
The priority for Salah, if he’s to be believed, is the aggressive degree. The Saudi Professional League stays a step beneath Europe’s elite competitions, and at 33, along with his powers evidently nonetheless appreciable, the prospect of parking himself exterior the Champions League is one which sources recommend he stays reluctant to simply accept.
2. Juventus (Serie A)
If Salah opts to stay in European soccer, then Juventus characterize maybe probably the most compelling vacation spot. The Turin giants have been present process a major revival, with Champions League qualification again on the radar, and one identify reportedly excessive on their listing is Salah himself.
The Italian connection runs deeper than most respect. Salah spent two productive seasons at Roma from 2015 to 2017, falling in love with life in Italy earlier than Liverpool got here calling.
His time in Serie A confirmed he may adapt to a distinct model of soccer, and a return to Italy may provide the right steadiness: a extremely aggressive league with a slower tempo than the Premier League, permitting Salah to protect his legs whereas nonetheless performing on the highest degree.
Kevin De Bruyne made an analogous calculation when he moved to Napoli, discovering a brand new lease of life away from the relentless grind of English soccer.
Juventus have appointed Luciano Spalletti as head coach, the identical supervisor who labored with Salah at Roma and helped form his improvement into the ahead he grew to become.
3. Al-Hilal (Saudi Professional League)
If not Al-Ittihad, then their fiercest Saudi rivals Al-Hilal characterize one other severe risk from the Kingdom. The membership, backed by the Public Funding Fund alongside Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli, have already demonstrated their urge for food for the world’s largest names, and reviews recommend all 4 PIF-backed golf equipment have registered an curiosity in bringing Salah to the Saudi Professional League this summer time.
Al-Hilal can provide Champions League-level infrastructure, world-class services, and an formidable squad of their very own. For Salah, a transfer inside Saudi Arabia’s prime golf equipment just isn’t merely a step into retirement, it’s a probability to compete in one of the crucial well-financed leagues on the planet, surrounded by worldwide expertise, in a rustic that might deal with him as a nationwide hero.
The provide of a profitable ultimate contract, assured to offer monetary safety for all times, is one that’s more and more troublesome to show down for a participant getting into the twilight of his profession.
4. Inter Miami / San Diego FC (MLS)
The MLS choice deserves severe consideration, even when it represents a distinct form of transfer to the others on this listing.
Inter Miami are probably the most glamorous vacation spot. The Impartial has reported that the David Beckham-owned membership are prepared to make Salah a proposal that might see him associate Lionel Messi in Florida.
The monetary packages on provide in MLS are reported to be broadly corresponding to what Saudi golf equipment can provide. Nonetheless, Inter Miami at present don’t have any accessible Designated Participant slots, with all three held by Messi, Rodrigo de Paul and German Berterame, which means important squad restructuring can be required.
San Diego FC, the league’s latest franchise, characterize the wilder card. Their billionaire proprietor, Sir Mohamed Mansour, is a British-Egyptian businessman who has made no secret of his want to deliver Salah to Southern California.
The 2026 World Cup, being co-hosted by the US, provides an additional layer of attraction. Salah, nearly sure to steer Egypt on the event, would have all the American soccer public as a possible new fanbase.
5. A Return to Roma (Serie A)
Maybe probably the most romantically charged choice on this listing, and one which shouldn’t be solely discounted. Salah’s two years at Roma between 2015 and 2017 stay fondly remembered by each the participant and the membership’s supporters.
He was electrical within the Italian capital, the shape that finally satisfied Liverpool to spend what was then a club-record £36.9 million to deliver him to Merseyside.
Roma might be able to provide Champions League soccer subsequent season as effectively. It might additionally hold him sharp in aggressive European soccer and provides him a platform to achieve the goal-scoring milestones he’ll undoubtedly be focusing on as he approaches the latter levels of his profession.
