Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool at the end of the 2025/26 season after reaching a mutual agreement to terminate his contract one year early. The 33-year-old forward, currently the club’s highest earner on a reported £400,000-per-week deal, will be released as a free agent this summer. The decision concludes a nine-year tenure at Anfield and follows a significant decline in output, with Salah recording 12 goals this term compared to the 34 he netted during his PFA Player of the Year campaign in 2024/25.
Loss of form and friction under Arne Slot
According to reports from The Independent and Sports Illustrated, the Egyptian’s decision to depart was accelerated by a difficult transitional year under manager Arne Slot. Friction between the pair became public in December 2025 following a string of matches where Salah was benched, culminating in an interview where the forward suggested the club had failed to support him during a mid-season dip in results. These tensions coincide with a broader tactical shift at Anfield. Having spent £450m on reinforcements including Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, Slot has prioritised a younger profile of attacker, mirroring the recent departure of veteran defender Andy Robertson as the club moves away from the core of the Jurgen Klopp era.
A final appearance and future options
Speaking to Steven Gerrard in an interview aired on TNT Sports, Salah confirmed that the frustrations of the current campaign made it clear "it’s time to go." The forward credited a January meeting with Gerrard as pivotal in his choice to leave on his own terms. Although currently sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained against Crystal Palace, Salah is expected to return for a final home fixture against Brentford on May 24. Regarding his next move, Salah remains uncommitted despite intense interest from the Saudi Pro League and MLS. "I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do," Salah told Gerrard. "I have a lot of options which are good options."
Liverpool’s willingness to forgo a transfer fee for their third all-time leading scorer allows them to immediately remove his substantial wages from the books ahead of further summer recruitment.