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Egyptian star Mohamed Salah said goodbye to Liverpool on Tuesday, confirming he will leave the club when the season concludes.
The prolific forward, who joined from Roma in 2017, will walk away from Anfield after nine remarkable years. In that span, Salah has netted 255 goals across 435 appearances, helping the Reds claim two Premier League titles and a Champions League crown. He also boasts four Premier League Golden Boot awards.
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Within minutes of Salah sharing an emotional farewell on social media, Liverpool officially confirmed the news.
So what's next for the Egyptian King? "We don't know where Mohamed will be playing next season," Salah's representative Ramy Abbas told Fabrizio Romano. "And that means nobody else does either."
Here, Sports Illustrated breaks down the most likely destinations for Salah.
MLS Beckons for Salah
Salah's exit was announced just hours after Atlético Madrid icon Antoine Griezmann agreed to join Orlando City, set to leave La Liga after more than 15 years to become the MLS club's newest Designated Player following the 2026 World Cup.
Griezmann, 35, is merely the latest football icon to cross the Atlantic as his playing days wind down. Could 33-year-old Salah be the one to follow?
Liverpool beat reporter James Pearce lent weight to an MLS move for Salah back in February. "The MLS is one possible destination for him," Pearce noted on The Athletic's Walk On podcast. "It's been suggested to me that it's actually more appealing in several ways than the Saudi Pro League."
America's top flight has expanded dramatically over the past decade, particularly since Argentine icon Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami in 2023. With the country set to co-host the World Cup this summer, the sport will only continue to gain momentum stateside.
San Diego FC, backed by Egyptian-British billionaire Mohamed Mansour, looks like the most probable destination for Salah. Hirving Lozano's anticipated departure this summer could free up a Designated Player slot for the Liverpool legend.
The Saudi Pro League Could Be Too Hard to Resist
Salah could equally make the move to Saudi Arabia, where the financial rewards would dwarf anything an MLS club could offer. To put it in perspective, Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo, currently at Al-Nassr, commands a base salary exceeding $200 million per year, compared to Messi's $12 million base.
Salah has reportedly attracted interest from Al Hilal, according to the Daily Mail last week, along with NEOM SC and Al-Qadsiah, per Ben Jacobs in December.
Al Ittihad previously saw a $200 million deadline-day bid rejected in the summer of 2023, and they revisited their pursuit again the following summer. Following Karim Benzema's exit in the winter transfer window, the Saudi Pro League heavyweights are actively seeking a new marquee name.
Galatasaray a Worthy Alternative
While Salah is widely expected to leave Europe for a fresh chapter, there remains a possibility he stays on the continent and continues competing in Champions League football. In that scenario, Galatasaray would be the most natural next stop for the 33-year-old.
The Turkish powerhouse has a storied history of luring elite talent—Wesley Sneijder, Didier Drogba, Mauro Icardi, a young Franck Ribéry (yes, really), and more recently Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sané, who have helped elevate the club into a credible Champions League contender.
Salah would slot seamlessly into that lineage and would undoubtedly be adored by Galatasaray's notoriously passionate supporters. Given that the club reportedly had the finances to pursue a winter deal for Lionel Messi, they clearly have the resources to bring yet another seasoned, left-footed right winger to Türkiye.