Salah to leave Liverpool at end of season

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has announced he will leave the club at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old Egypt international, who joined Liverpool from Roma in June 2017, confirmed the news via a video message on his social media accounts.

"Unfortunately the day has come. This is the first part of my farewell," Salah said.

"I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season."

Salah signed a new two-year contract with Liverpool in April 2025 but will leave the club on a free transfer after the club said they had "reached an agreement" over his future.

By his own high standards it has been a difficult campaign for Salah on the pitch.

He has scored 10 goals in 34 games in all competitions so far and is on course to finish with his lowest tally for a season during his time at Anfield.

In December Salah gave an interview to reporters after Liverpool's 3-3 draw at Leeds, where he said he was "thrown under the bus" by the club and his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had broken down.

There was speculation Salah could leave in the January transfer window but he subsequently returned to the side following his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations.

It is not clear for which club or in which country Salah will play next season after leaving Anfield.

Liverpool said the timing of Salah's announcement was because he wished to tell supporters "at the earliest possible opportunity" and to "provide transparency about his future due to his respect and gratitude for them".

Salah said his time on Merseyside has left a significant mark on his life, having lived through the Covid-19 pandemic and - more recently - the death of team-mate Diogo Jota.

He continued: "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 it 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 team-mates, past and present."

Salah has played a key role in reviving Liverpool's fortunes on the pitch during the past nine years.

He helped the club to two Premier League titles, the Champions League, Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, FA Cup and two EFL Cups, as well as the Community Shield.

Salah's tally of 255 goals in 435 appearances for the Reds has him third in the pantheon of all-time leading goalscorers for the club, behind Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285).

He has won the Premier League golden boot on four occasions and been named the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year three times - in 2018, 2022 and 2025.

Salah also hailed the support he has received from Liverpool fans who "showed me through the best time of my career" and also "stood by me in the toughest times".

"It's something I will never forget and something I will take with me always. Leaving is never easy," he added.

"You gave me the best time of my life, I will be always one of you. The 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."

Liverpool said that Salah's time at Anfield had been a "remarkable nine-year chapter" and plans to show their appreciation will come at a later date.

"With plenty still left to play for this season, Salah is firmly focused on trying to achieve the best possible finish to the campaign for Liverpool," the club added.

"Therefore, the time to fully celebrate his legacy and achievements will follow later in the year when he bids farewell to Anfield."

Defending champions Liverpool are currently fifth in the Premier League with seven games remaining, will face holders Paris St-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals and next play Manchester City in the FA Cup last eight on Saturday, 4 April.

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Sport it will be "interesting" to see how the rest of the season plays out for Salah and the club, comparing it to previous boss Jurgen Klopp's shock announcement he would leave the club at the end of that season in January 2024.

"It's almost taken it out of the club's hands for the way they've dealt with it," said Warnock.

"When Klopp announced he was leaving, every game was a fanfare, everyone wanted to go to the games and watch.

"They didn't end the season the way they wanted it to with a fairytale ending. If Salah can do that and get to a Champions League final and win that final, it'll be very interesting to see."

Warnock added Liverpool will have weighed up the possible "huge" financial loss in not selling Salah against the money they will save on his wages, which are reportedly around £400,000 a week.

John Gibbons from Liverpool podcast The Anfield Wrap said there will be "shock" and "sadness" among Reds fans at the news of Salah's departure.

However, he added: "If you think with your head rather than your heart, it's probably the best thing for everyone. He's our highest-paid player, and he's on a huge salary, and he's not delivering, and that will hurt him.

Gibbons added Liverpool fans "adore" Salah and that all the discussion around him after he leaves will be about the "joy" he has provided the supporters.

He said: "You feel that every time he steps on the field, he feels the love, adoration, and support of so many supporters."