When Mohamed Salah steps out to Anfield against Brentford on Sunday, it will be his last time as a Liverpool player.
After nine extraordinary years, one of the greatest players in the club’s history will call it quits – and football will spend the summer waiting to see where he goes next.
Earlier in the season, the club confirmed that Salah had reached an agreement with the Reds to end his time at Anfield at the end of the 2025-26 season.
With 257 goals in 438 appearances, he is Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer, and has a collection of major honors that includes two goals. Premier League Titles, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup.
During the 2025-26 season, relations between Salah and manager Arne Slott broke down as the season ended, with the 33-year-old publicly criticizing the team’s style of play following a 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa, calling for a return to the “attack-heavy” football that had made Liverpool so fearsome under Jurgen Klopp.
Slott remained non-committal on whether Salah would start in Sunday’s farewell match, leaving the possibility of an anti-climactic farewell up in the air.
A minor muscle injury suffered against Crystal Palace in late April has added further uncertainty to the departure, although Salah has made it clear through a series of gym updates on social media that he is fit and ready.
Whichever way he exits, Salah leaves as an immortal at Liverpool. The question occupying the football world now is what comes next?
101GreatGoals takes a look at five clubs he could join as a free agent this summer.
1. Al-Ittihad (Saudi Professional League)
The club that has wanted Salah for the longest time, and a destination that many insiders still consider the most likely outcome. The Etihad made a staggering $200 million offer for Salah in September 2023, a move Liverpool barely rejected.
Since then, Saudi giant Karim Benzema has lost to Al Hilal, leaving a star-shaped void at the top of their team.
The Saudi Professional League is one of the few leagues on the planet capable of matching or exceeding Salah’s current wages in the English Premier League, and with Salah available on a free transfer, all the money could be directed towards the wage package.
The cultural angle is also important, as Salah, arguably the most prominent Muslim athlete in the world, would represent a huge symbolic coup for the league and the kingdom.
The Etihad have prominent names, including N’Golo Kante and Benzema, and they will not hide their ambitions this summer.
What matters to Salah, if we believe him, is the competitive level. The Saudi Professional League is still a step behind Europe’s elite competition, and at 33 years old, and clearly still in his prime, the prospect of putting himself outside the Champions League is one that sources suggest he is still reluctant to accept.
2. Juventus (Italian League)
If Salah chooses to stay in European football, Juventus may represent the most compelling destination. The Turin giants are experiencing a major resurgence, with Champions League qualification back on the radar, and one name said to be at the top of their list is Salah himself.
The Italian connection runs deeper than most people appreciate. Salah spent two productive seasons at Roma from 2015 to 2017, and fell in love with life in Italy before Liverpool came.
His time in Serie A has shown that he can adapt to a different style of football, and a return to Italy could provide the perfect balance: a highly competitive league with a slower pace than the English Premier League, allowing Salah to keep his legs while still performing at the highest level.
Kevin De Bruyne made a similar calculation when he moved to Napoli, finding a new lease on life away from the relentless pressures of English football.
Juventus have appointed Luciano Spalletti as head coach, the same coach who worked with Salah at Roma and helped shape his development into the striker he has become.
3. Al Hilal (Saudi Professional League)
If not Al-Ittihad, their fiercest Saudi rival, Al-Hilal, represents another serious possibility from the Kingdom. The club, which is backed by the Public Investment Fund alongside Al-Ittihad, Al-Nasr and Al-Ahly, has already shown its appetite for the biggest names in the world, and reports indicate that all four clubs backed by the Public Investment Fund have registered an interest in bringing Salah to the Saudi Professional League this summer.
Al Hilal can offer Champions League-level infrastructure, world-class facilities, and an ambitious team of its own. For Salah, a move to top Saudi clubs is not just a step towards retirement, but an opportunity to compete in one of the most well-funded leagues on the planet, surrounded by international talent, in a country that treats him like a national hero.
A lucrative final contract offer, which guarantees lifelong financial security, is one that is increasingly difficult to refuse for a player entering the twilight of his career.
4. Inter Miami/San Diego FC (MLS)
The MLS option is worth serious consideration, even if it represents a different type of move than the other options on this list.
Inter Miami is the most glamorous destination. The Independent newspaper reported that the club owned by David Beckham is ready to make an offer to Salah that would make him a partner of Lionel Messi in Florida.
The financial packages on offer in MLS are said to be largely comparable to what Saudi clubs can offer. However, Inter Miami currently has no places available for designated players, with Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and German Berteram retaining all three, meaning a major restructuring of the squad will be needed.
San Diego FC, the league’s newest franchise, represents the wild card. Their billionaire owner, Sir Mohamed Mansour, is a British-Egyptian businessman who has made no secret of his desire to bring Salah to Southern California.
The 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting, adds an extra layer of appeal. Salah, who will almost certainly lead Egypt in the tournament, will have the entire American soccer crowd as a potential new fan base.
5. Return to Roma (Italian Serie A)
Probably the most romantic option on this list, and one that shouldn’t be completely ruled out. The two years Salah spent at Roma between 2015 and 2017 remain fondly remembered by the player and the club’s supporters.
He impressed in the Italian capital, form that eventually convinced Liverpool to spend what was then a club record £36.9m to bring him to Merseyside.
Roma may be able to offer Champions League football next season as well. It will also keep him sharp in competitive European football and give him a platform to reach the goal-scoring feats he will no doubt target as he approaches the latter stages of his career.
