Mohamed Salah signalled the end of an era at Liverpool after he announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season.
The 33-year-old will depart on a free transfer after discussions with Anfield officials, ending his stay on Merseyside early having signed a two-year contract extension only in April 2025.
“Unfortunately, the day has come. This is the first part of my farewell,” the Egyptian, who will be remembered as a Liverpool great, said on social media last night.
“I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of this season. I wanted to start by saying I never imagined how deeply this club, the city, these people would become part of my life. Liverpool is not just a football club, it is a passion, it is a history, it is a spirit.”
Salah has previously been targeted by clubs in Saudi Arabia, with Liverpool turning down a £150million offer from Al-Ittihad in September 2023, but his next move has not been determined.
The Egyptian said he had made the announcement because he wanted to clarify his future to Liverpool supporters at the earliest possible opportunity.
Salah’s long-term future has been uncertain since a fall-out with the Liverpool head coach, Arne Slot, in December. Salah’s outburst against Slot, in which he claimed their relationship had deteriorated, came after he was dropped from the starting line-up. A truce was brokered and he has been a regular in the first XI since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations in January. His departure will mark the end of a brilliant Liverpool career.
“To anyone not part of this club, we celebrated victory, we won the most important trophies and we fought together through the hardest time in our life,” Salah added.
“I want to thank everyone who was part of this club throughout my time here, especially my team-mates, past and present, and to the fans — I don’t have enough words for the support you showed me through the best time of my career. You stood by me in the toughest times — something I will never forget and something I will take with me always.
Salah celebrates winning the Champions League in 2019Times photographer marc aspland
“Leaving is never easy. You gave me the best time in my life. I will be always one of you. This club will always be my home, to me and my family. Because of you, I will never walk alone.”
Salah has been less of a force this season, but his goalscoring numbers since signing from Roma in 2017 for £34 million place him in the club’s pantheon of greats. With 255 goals in 435 appearances, he is third on Liverpool’s all-time list of leading goalscorers, behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.
He has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, FA Cup, two League Cups and the Community Shield. He has won the Premier League Golden Boot four times. Last season he recorded 47 goal involvements, the most in a 38-game Premier League campaign. His 191 goals in the Premier League place him fourth on the all-time list, behind Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney.
Salah was lauded by his Liverpool team-mate Andy Robertson on social media. “Watching you become the best at what you do and become one of the best to ever have worn the Liverpool shirt has been a joy to watch and be part of,” Robertson said.
“Your mentality is second to none and a lot of people could take note. You have pushed yourself every single day and always demanded more from yourself and others. You deserve a send off that reflects your status at LFC — the greatest. Second to none.”
Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas-Issa, who negotiated his deal which is worth more than £400,000 a week, said on Tuesday night: “We do not know where Mohamed will play next season.”
Liverpool’s final match of the Premier League season is at Anfield against Brentford on May 24, which will be Salah’s farewell — unless the club reach the Champions League final in Budapest the week after.
The Times previews the 2026 World Cup
His Liverpool career in numbers
By Bill Edgar
All competitions
Games played: 435
Goals: 255
Assists: 119
By competition
Premier League: 310 games, 189 goals
FA Cup: 14 games, 8 goals
League Cup: 11 games, 4 goals
Community Shield: 4 games, 1 goals
Champions League: 84 games, 48 goals
Europa League: 9 games, 5 goals
Club World Cup: 2 games, 0 goals
Uefa Super Cup: 1 game, 0 goals
Premier League goals since Salah joined Liverpool (July 2017)
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool: 189 (310 games)
Harry Kane, Tottenham: 135 (204 games)
Son Heung-min, Tottenham: 109 (271 games)
Erling Haaland, Man City: 107 (126 games)
Jamie Vardy, Leicester: 103 (237 games)
Premier League assists since Salah joined Liverpool (July 2017)
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool: 92 (310 games)
Kevin de Bruyne, Man City: 91 (224 games)
Bruno Fernandes, Man Utd: 67 (223 games)
Players with most goals in European competition for English clubs
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool: 53
Harry Kane, Tottenham: 45
Thierry Henry, Arsenal: 42
Sergio Agüero, Man City: 42
Major honours
Premier League: 2 (2019-20, 2024-25)
FA Cup: 1 (2021-22)
League Cup: 2 (2021-22, 2023-24)
Champions League: 1 (2018-19)
Individual awards
Premier League golden boot (top scorer): 4 (2017-18, 2018-19 joint, 2021-22 joint, 2024-25)
Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year: 3 (2017-18, 2021-22, 2024-25)
Players’ Player of the Year: 3 (2017-18, 2021-22, 2024-25)