Mohamed Salah (33, Liverpool, FW) has officially announced he will depart Anfield at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, ending a nine-year tenure ahead of his contract expiry. While Fenerbahce and the Saudi Pro League have positioned themselves as primary financial suitors, Juventus have emerged as a significant European alternative for the forward, though the Italian club’s sporting director, Marco Ottolini, told DaveOCKOP that reports of an existing agreement are currently premature.
Juventus interest and the Saudi Pro League priority
According to reports in Italy, Juventus are considering a move for Salah as a means to maintain their domestic and European competitiveness. A return to Serie A would see Salah reunited with Luciano Spalletti, his former manager at Roma, and offers a high-level environment to prepare for the 2026 World Cup. However, Ottolini was direct in his assessment of the current links, stating: "What is being said about negotiations for Mohamed Salah is not true. At the moment there is absolutely nothing regarding that." This comes as Sky Sports reports that Saudi Pro League clubs have already secured the necessary funds to make Salah their priority free-agent target. Meanwhile, Fenerbahce have reportedly held talks with Salah’s representative, Ramy Abbas, over a three-year deal worth approximately £17.3m per year.
Liverpool identify Premier League-proven successors
The impending exit of a player who has averaged a goal or assist every 92 minutes for nearly a decade has forced Liverpool into an aggressive recruitment strategy. TEAMtalk reports that the club is scouting several established Premier League forwards to mitigate the risk of the post-Salah transition. Mohammed Kudus (25, Tottenham, FW), Anthony Gordon (25, Newcastle, FW), and Jarrod Bowen (29, West Ham, FW) are all understood to be on a shortlist of six potential targets. Gordon, who is valued at approximately £75m, fits the age profile desired by manager Arne Slot. Speaking on the squad's evolution to the Liverpool Echo, Slot noted: "I am 100 percent convinced we will be a different team next season than we are now." This overhaul follows a season where Salah’s league output narrowed to 12 goals and nine assists, his lowest return since joining the club.
Liverpool’s focus remains on securing a technical fit for Slot’s system while Salah evaluates whether to remain in Europe or accept a record-breaking offer from the Gulf.