Salah's Saudi Crossroads: Liverpool Better Off Selling Now

The Mo Salah to Saudi Arabia rumors? They're back, and this time, they feel a little different. Last summer, Al-Ittihad threw a reported £150 million at Liverpool for the Egyptian King, and the Reds, rightly, slammed the door shut. Salah was still playing at an elite level, fresh off a 30-goal season across all competitions in 2022-23. Selling him then would've been footballing malpractice.

But a year is a long time in football. Salah just turned 32. His contract runs until the summer of 2025. This past season, he finished with 18 Premier League goals and 10 assists in 32 appearances. Good numbers, sure. But the explosiveness, that relentless drive that used to terrorize defenders for 90 minutes, it wasn't quite there every week. Remember that late-season dip? After returning from AFCON, he only scored more than one goal in a match once – a brace against Tottenham on May 5th, a game where Liverpool were already out of the title race. He went five league games without a goal between February 24th and March 17th. That's not the Salah we've known.

Here's the thing: Liverpool has a decision to make, and it’s a cold, hard business one. If a Saudi Pro League club comes in with a genuinely massive offer again – say, £100 million or more – Liverpool has to take it. No sentiment involved. New sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports Group president Michael Edwards need to be ruthless here. They inherited a squad that needed a refresh even before Jürgen Klopp left. Keeping Salah for another year, only to lose him for nothing in 2025, makes no sense financially or strategically for a club entering a new era under Arne Slot.

**The Financial Reality vs. Sentiment**

Look, Salah is a legend. He's scored 211 goals in 349 appearances for Liverpool, won a Premier League title, a Champions League, and broken countless records, including becoming the club's all-time leading Premier League scorer with 155 goals. His impact is undeniable. But football moves fast. Liverpool spent £145 million on four midfielders last summer – Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, and Ryan Gravenberch – all under the age of 25. That’s the direction the club is going: younger, more athletic, building for the next few years.

Replacing Salah's output won't be easy, but it's not impossible. Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo, and Darwin Núñez are all capable of big numbers, and the money from Salah's sale could fund a genuine superstar replacement who’s in his prime. Think about it: a nine-figure sum for a 32-year-old on the last year of his deal? That's Monopoly money in today's market. It allows Slot to truly stamp his authority on the squad. And let’s not forget, the Saudi Pro League remains confident they can also tempt Edwards to join them in a senior role after his re-appointment at FSG. That kind of relationship could smooth any potential transfer.

My hot take? Liverpool should actively push for this sale. It’s time to cash in. Salah has delivered historic moments, but his peak is likely behind him. Selling him now allows the club to reinvest heavily, reshape the attack, and avoid a messy free transfer saga next summer. They need to be proactive, not reactive.

I predict Salah plays his last game in a Liverpool shirt before the end of August, making way for a new attacking force at Anfield.