Powerful figures in Saudi Arabian football are increasingly confident that Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool in the summer transfer window this year.
The Egyptian star has gone through a not-so-smooth period with coach Arne Slot. Although leaving this month is no longer feasible, his future is expected to be decided after the season closes.
Salah has long been linked to a blockbuster deal to Saudi Pro League. Rumors increased in December last year, when he publicly expressed dissatisfaction with Slot. The 31-year-old believes he was "pushed into a difficult position" during Liverpool's decline in form, making the possibility of leaving Anfield in the winter transfer window once considered very high.
However, the time Salah left Anfield to work with the Egyptian national team in the African Cup helped both sides have the opportunity to look back at the problem. When returning, the striker born in 1992 was immediately included in the starting lineup in Liverpool's 3-0 victory over Marseille in the middle of the week. This shows that the relationship between him and the coaching staff has been somewhat healed.
In the context of the Saudi Arabian football star recruitment wave showing signs of slowing down - as many famous players seek to return to Europe - Salah is still considered a special case. With the position of the most famous Muslim player in the world, he continues to be in the sights of top clubs in Saudi Arabia.
British media reported that Salah's move to Saudi Pro League in the summer is considered inevitable. Previously, Al-Hilal, Al-Qadisah and Neom were all said to be interested in his signature, while the league president - Mr. Omar Mugharbel - publicly expressed his desire to welcome the Liverpool star.
Sources also revealed that Salah and Vinicius Junior are the top two transfer targets of the league. Meanwhile, many big names such as Sadio Mane, Fabinho, N'Golo Kante or Karim Benzema are likely to leave Saudi Arabia in 2026. This makes the Saudi Pro League organizers believe they need a big boost in the summer transfer window to maintain their appeal.
The above scenario becomes even clearer if Kante and Ruben Neves leave the league soon. The French midfielder is currently negotiating to leave Al-Ittihad to join Fenerbahce, while Neves is linked with Manchester United and some other European teams.
In addition, Saudi Pro League also faces increasing competition from Qatar Stars League - a league that has attracted notable names such as Roberto Firmino, Marco Verratti and Julian Draxler.
Currently, Salah is still in contract with Liverpool until June 2027, after signing a contract extension worth about £350,000 per week at the end of last season. The Kop once rejected a £150 million offer from Al-Ittihad in September 2023 and always affirmed that they have no intention of selling their number one star.
After the victory against Marseille, Slot also gave many compliments to his student: "That shows he is a true professional player. Salah has been away from the team for more than a month, but after only one training session, he can play the full 90 minutes.
He almost scored, in normal circumstances, it could have been Salah's familiar goal. However, the important thing is that the whole team has scored three goals".
