For close to three years, the prospect of Mohamed Salah swapping the Mersey for the Middle East has been the persistent, low-level hum of every transfer window. But as we head toward the summer of 2026, that noise has officially reached a crescendo.
For years, the speculation surrounding Mohamed Salah and the Saudi Pro League has felt like an exercise in deja vu recurring noise that Liverpool fans eventually learned to tune out. Reports emerging from France suggest that Salah’s representatives have opened formal discussions with Al-Ittihad. This no longer feels like the usual transfer window posturing.
After a decade of rewriting the record books at Anfield, the Egyptian King’s crown is looking a little heavier. With his form dipping and a public rift with Arne Slot casting a shadow over the AXA Training Centre, the prospect of a £1.2m a-week exit to Al-Ittihad is beginning to look less like a rumour and more like an inevitability. Clearly, Mohamed Salah is weighing his next move.
The Egyptian remains a Liverpool legend, yet the current campaign suggests a player grappling with the inevitable march of time and a tactical shift that has left him on the periphery.
Salah’s output has plummeted compared to his customary 20-goal benchmark. Consequently, the noise surrounding a Saudi Pro League move has amplified as fans question whether he still possesses the consistency required for Slot’s high-intensity system.
While he previously served as the undisputed focal point, Salah now finds himself rotating in and out of a side that looks toward a younger horizon.
The Leeds fallout: a relationship breaking point?
The cracks in the facade first appeared during a freezing December afternoon at Elland Road. Following a 3-3 draw with Leeds United, Salah visibly frustrated after being benched for the third consecutive game delivered an interview that sent shockwaves through the club and rest of the football world. Clearly, Mohamed Salah’s frustrations were visible.
“I have done so much for this club down the years… now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus,” Salah told reporters in a staggering admission of his disillusionment.
More damningly, he confirmed what many had suspected: “I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship.”
While Slot and Salah have since agreed to a “professional truce” to see out the campaign, the “frosty” atmosphere remains. Slot’s high-rotation system has clashed with Salah’s desire to remain the undisputed focal point. In the wake of that Leeds outburst, the prospect of mending those fences seemed slim but has since patched up.
Saudi Arabia: The Statement Signing to Replace Ronaldo
Consequently, Saudi Pro League chiefs sense blood in the water. With Cristiano Ronaldo currently in a state of open revolt at Al-Nassr, the SPL is desperate for a new figurehead. He has missed his last two matches after going on “strike” over the league’s transfer direction.
Reports from Foot Mercato and beyond suggest Al-Ittihad have already opened discussions. They aren’t just offering a salary they are offering a sovereign-backed fortune. A reported £1.2m-per-week wage would triple Salah’s current £400,000-a-week deal. This would fulfil Saudi football’s long-standing goal of bringing the Arab world’s greatest sporting icon to the Kingdom.
“According to our information, his agent is in talks with Al Ittihad, and unlike last year, Mo Salah is much more open to an arrival in Saudi Arabia. This could satisfy all parties. Liverpool would receive a transfer fee, and Salah would be at the origin of the decision.”
Furthermore, the timing finally suits all parties. Unlike last year, when Liverpool slammed the door on a £150m bid, the Reds hierarchy must now weigh sentiment against cold squad planning. In fact, Mohamed Salah’s contract situation is a key consideration this summer.
Salah has just 18 months left on his contract. Secured after the 2024/25 title triumph, that deal expires in June 2027. If the Egyptian’s influence is weaning, this summer represents Liverpool’s last chance to secure a truly astronomical fee for a 33-year-old.
Managing the transition
Under Arne Slot, Liverpool are building a refreshed identity. While the Dutchman still leans on experience, he has proven he will not be sentimental when it comes to tactical discipline.
If Salah feels he is no longer the “untouchable” he once was, then a move to a league where he would be celebrated as a cultural and sporting deity makes logical sense.
For the player, the move offers more than just money. As a practicing Muslim, playing in Saudi Arabia provides an environment that aligns with his faith and family life. In addition, it allows him to prolong his career at a slightly less frantic pace than the Premier League demands.
The farewell legacy
Nevertheless, the apprehension among the Anfield faithful is real. Replacing a man with 240+ goals is never straightforward. Salah is a leader, a match-winner, and a reference point for the next generation of Liverpool forwards. Mohamed Salah’s impact on Liverpool’s legacy will not be forgotten.
If this is to be the beginning of a farewell, it must be handled with the dignity his legacy deserves. Should Salah decide that his time on Merseyside is up, Liverpool must ensure the transition is managed on their terms. This would secure a fee that accelerates the next phase of the Slot rebuild while giving the “Egyptian King” the send-off his historic service has earned.