Salah Exit Looms as Liverpool Dig in on Free Transfer Stance

Mohamed Salah looks set to leave Liverpool when the summer transfer window opens, following his public row with the club in December and a dip in form that has left his future at Anfield in serious doubt.

The 33-year-old Egyptian has been a cornerstone of the Reds' success since arriving from Roma for £43m in 2017. Over nearly a decade at Merseyside, he has netted 252 goals in 429 appearances while collecting Premier League titles, a Champions League crown, domestic cup silverware, and the FIFA Club World Cup among his honours.

But this season has proven different. Salah's performances have fallen short of his usual standards, and tensions boiled over in December when he publicly criticised Liverpool following the Leeds match, claiming he was being made a scapegoat and denying he had a working relationship with manager Arne Slot. He was subsequently dropped for the Champions League fixture before reconciliation talks led to his recall against Brighton, where the Kop offered their backing.

With just one year remaining on his contract beyond this season, the landscape is shifting. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently outlined the likely contenders for Salah's signature, suggesting Saudi Arabian clubs will renew their long-standing pursuit. Al-Ittihad, fresh from losing Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante in January, could lead the charge alongside other Gulf-based suitors. Romano also flagged the possibility of MLS interest, though he stressed that nothing concrete has materialised yet.

According to BBC Sport, a summer move is now "increasingly likely," though it hinges on whether genuine offers materialise and whether Salah's wage expectations can be satisfied. The report is particularly clear on one point: Liverpool will not permit him to depart on a free transfer next year.

Alan Shearer has weighed in on the situation, suggesting Slot faces a thorny selection dilemma. The Newcastle legend acknowledged that while Liverpool scraped past Nottingham Forest 1-0 last weekend, Salah's contribution fell well short of his career standards. Shearer noted it as a sign of a strong team's resilience, but questioned whether the winger deserves automatic selection going forward.

With the West Ham fixture on the horizon, Salah could again find himself sidelined after being substituted during the Forest victory.