Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Olympics
Football
Netball
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Full Noise by SN
End of the Egyptian Prince: Why Mohamed Salah leaves Liverpool at the perfect time
Riccardo Ball • March 25th, 2026 9:26 am
Mohammed Salah | Photo: Photosport
It is the end of an era at Anfield.
Mo Salah, the iconic ‘Egyptian Prince’, has announced that this season will be his last on Merseyside.
“Hello everyone, unfortunately the day has come. This is the first part of my farewell. I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season," Salah posted on X on Wednesday morning (NZ time).
"I wanted to start by saying that I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people, would become part of my life.
"Liverpool is not just a football club, it’s a passion, it’s a history, it’s a spirit, I can’t explain in words 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.
"I want to thank everyone who was part of this club throughout my time here, especially the teammates past and present.
"And to the fans, I don’t have enough words, the support you showed me through the best time of my career and you stood by me through the toughest times, it’s something I will never forget and something I will take with me always.
"Leaving is never easy, you gave me the best time of my life, I will be always one of you.
"This club will always be my home, to me and to my family, thank you for everything, because of all of you I will never walk alone”.
He will leave knowing he has been a major part of a trophy heavy period in Liverpool history with two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League title and a FIFA Club World Cup to his name since signing ahead of the 2017/18 season.
Salah signed a new two-year deal with the club last season but it’s clear he will not see that contract out and Liverpool will be able to ask a transfer fee from which ever club he goes to next.
It’s a clever piece of business from a club who were pilloried by their own fans for the handling of contract renewals of their biggest stars.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and captain Virgil Van Djik all had their contracts expiring at the end of the 2024/25 season, a situation that left the club open to losing three talismanic players for nothing.
In the wash up, Alexander-Arnold was branded a rat by the Anfield faithful as he left to join Real Madrid on a free transfer, while Salah and Van Djik were rewarded with salary increases that took both over the 20 million pound a season mark - an increase of around 10 percent on their previous deals.
Did the club overpay this season? Probably but the optics may have been worth it given the loss of home grown start Alexander-Arnold and the influence Salah had on last season’s title win.
Hindsight they say is 20/20 and it’s doubtful even the sharpest-eyed football analyst would have anticipated how much Salah’s form would have fallen off this season. The last five seasons at Liverpool saw Salah score 22, 23, 19, 18 and 29 goals in the league so a return of just 5 so far this season.
Stats alone don’t tell the full story but Salah hasn’t passed the eye test this season either. The sharp, quick and accurate menace of defences has been absent this season and the time is right for him leave with his head held high.
Liverpool fans won’t remember Salah for this ‘one season too far’, they will remember the goals, the trophies and the thrill of watching him dancing down the right wing at Anfield.
Subscribe to Sport Nation's weekly football podcast Studs Up! on Spotify.
