Saudi Arabia, the USA, or somewhere else? Where Mohamed Salah might go after he leaves Liverpool

Liverpool supporters have been rocked by the news that legendary winger Mohamed Salah will be heading out the exit door at the end of the season. The winger has announced that he will be leaving Anfield for a fresh start somewhere else this summer, with the club agreeing to let him break his contract - but it remains to be seen where he will end up next.

Following the public breakdown of Salah’s relationship with head coach Arne Slot in December, the Egyptian’s departure had started to look rather inevitable, even if the timing of the eventual announcement has come as something of a surprise. Liverpool will have to work out how to replace him in the coming months, but a big decision faces the player as well as he works out where to take his talents.

Where next for Mohamed Salah after Liverpool exit?

Saudi Arabia seems the most likely next destination for Salah after Liverpool. He has been linked with a switch to the Middle East on numerous occasions and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him end up in the Saudi Pro League in the near future. Teams in that region will be able to pay massive wages, and that is likely to turn his head. Al-Ittihad reportedly bid £150m for Salah back in 2023 and are likely to be a leading candidate again, but any of the Saudi ‘big four’ could be a potential destination.

The USA is another potential option for the forward. MLS clubs can still fork out big money for designated players and will surely be alerted to Salah’s availability. The likes of Lionel Messi, Thomas Müller and Luis Suarez all play there and the league continues to rise in popularity. San Diego FC have been mentioned as one side that might be ready to break the bank for the Egyptian.

Salah, 33, is very unlikely to stay in England now. He has too strong of an affinity for Liverpool to join a league rival. Therefore, a switch abroad is most certainly on the cards. It remains to be seen whether a European giant like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich could try and tempt him, but eyebrows would be raised if any of the trio landed him. There has been tentative discussion of a move to Italy, where he previously spent time with both AS Roma and Fiorentina, but for the most part Serie A sides are likely to lack the cash required to fund a deal. That makes Saudi Arabia or the United States far more plausible as Salah’s eventual landing spot.

What now for Liverpool with Mohamed Salah leaving?

Liverpool will miss Salah’s presence at the top end of the pitch. He has been a great servant to the Merseyside giants and will go down in history as one of their best ever players. The Egypt international joined them back in 2017 following spells with the likes of FC Basel, Chelsea and Roma.

He has since scored 255 goals in 435 matches and has won everything with the Reds. They managed to tie him down to a new deal last year. However, it has been pretty clear since then that his time was more than likely going to come to an end.

Liverpool will need to think about who to sign to step into Salah’s shoes. Jarrod Bowen could be worth a punt, especially if West Ham are relegated to the Championship. The Hammers are currently in the bottom three with Wolves and Burnley and they are a point from safety behind Tottenham Hotspur in 17th.

Bowen won’t want to play in the second tier again so the Reds could throw him a lifeline. Like Salah, he is left footed and likes to cut in from the right. He has fired 84 goals in 271 outings since his move to the London Stadium from Hull City.