Mohamed Salah transfer outcome far from inevitable as Liverpool ace could have intriguing option

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Mohamed Salah and his future could be a big storyline in 2026, with the Liverpool forward under contract for another 18 months but experiencing a below-par campaign

Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah could be on the move in 2026(Image: Mohamed Tageldin / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

It was one of the stand-out moments of 2025 when Mohamed Salah decided to stop in the Elland Road mixed zone, accusing Liverpool of throwing him under the bus and suggesting his relationship with Arne Slot had completely broken down.

And while AFCON came at a good time, it was remarkable how quickly he was reintegrated. Salah played well a week later against Brighton and Slot came out the other side of that period in a stronger position, dealing with it well.

It remains to be seen when Salah will return from AFCON — that depends on how far Egypt goes in the knockout phase — but when he returns, the chatter about his future will inevitably continue. It has never been far away.

This week, the Italian outlet La Repubblica reported that AS Roma holds an interest in re-signing Salah almost a decade on from selling him to Liverpool.

And while the financials might make a move for the 33-year-old very tricky for the Serie A side — even if he was to leave on a free in the summer of 2027, Salah is on big money in terms of salary — it does make some sense.

Staying in Europe would give Salah the chance to play at the highest possible level for longer, with Roma currently ahead of Juventus and inside the Champions League places.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot looks towards Mohamed Salah during the Premier League game against Brighton(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside via Getty Images)

Clearly, he feels that he is capable of playing at the very top still, and he was irked by being left on the bench as Liverpool dropped its first lot of points against Leeds this season.

While there has been long-standing interest in Salah from Saudi Arabia, this week, the i Paper reported that teams in the region were more focused on younger targets at the moment as it seeks to establish itself as a growing force.

But much will come down to what Salah wants. If he fancies going to Al Ittihad, for instance, the team that tabled a huge offer for him back in 2023, that could surely still happen.

Likewise, if Salah is able to get his head around no longer being a starter for Liverpool every week, there is no reason why he couldn't continue to play a part at Anfield — just a different one to before, when he was the first name on the teamsheet.

Kevin De Bruyne, who joined Napoli in the summer, has shown that a move to Italy can make sense for some Premier League players, when he too had interest from both the Saudi Pro League and MLS.

And so, while the Saudi Pro League has long been considered the obvious — and maybe even only — place that Salah could end up, the reality is somewhat different.

There are plenty of options available to him in 2026. Whatever he chooses, Salah will remain headline news.