The 33-year-old claims he has been “thrown under the bus” at Anfield. He feels he has been frozen out by Arne Slot in recent games.
| Mohamed Salah club after the January transfer window | Odds |
|---|---|
| Liverpool | 1/2 |
| Al Hilal | 4/1 |
| Al Ittihad | 7/1 |
| Al Nassr | 8/1 |
| Napoli | 10/1 |
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Liverpool
Salah was an unused sub as Liverpool drew 3-3 at Leeds on Saturday. He hasn’t made Slot’s starting lineup since a dismal 4-1 Champions League defeat to PSV. Despite registering 29 goals and 18 assists in the Premier League last term, Salah has suddenly fallen out of favour.
The Egyptian kept quiet about the situation until some explosive post-match remarks at Elland Road. After hinting at a total breakdown of his relationship with Slot, doubts were immediately raised about his future. Salah has since been excluded from Liverpool's squad to face Inter in the Champions League.
Despite the remarkable situation the Reds legend now finds himself in, betting markets suggest he will stay at Anfield. The 33-year-old is given an implied probability of 66.7% to be a Liverpool player after the January transfer window.
What may help resolve the issue is that Salah will join with his national team next week. He could be away for more than a month on AFCON duty, which will provide a natural cooling-off period.
Liverpool could play as many as seven matches while he is away. Slot has already indicated that Salah is welcome to return to the fold.
There is no hint yet that he has been permanently excluded as a result of his comments. A simple apology may be all it takes for this to blow over until at least the summer transfer window.
An alternative scenario could see Liverpool’s form decline further while the forward is away. That could potentially lead to Slot’s dismissal, which could offer Salah a way back into the team.
Those factors help explain why the betting markets continue to heavily favour Salah staying. However, this is clearly not a small breakdown in trust, and the value in this market may lie elsewhere.
Al Hilal
Salah signed a contract extension at Liverpool as recently as April, with his current deal running until 2027. Therefore, the Reds will still expect to receive a significant fee for his services. That will make it a difficult deal for European clubs to pull off in January.
If Salah were to leave permanently, Saudi Arabia is the most likely destination. Big transfers normally take many weeks to prepare, but Pro League clubs have the funds to make it happen quickly.
The value in the Salah next club odds appears to lie with Al Hilal. They are widely considered to be the biggest Saudi club, having won the title on 21 occasions.
By signing Neymar, Al Hilal pulled off arguably the biggest transfer to date in this new era of Saudi football. The Brazilian departed earlier this year, so the door is certainly open for a new global icon to arrive.
Al Hilal missed out on the Pro League title last season and currently trail Al Nassr by four points this term. Their squad lack the genuine star power they once had, which suggests they may be ready for their next big move. Backing Salah to join Al Hilal with an implied probability of 20% appears to offer value.
Al Ittihad
After winning the 2024/25 Saudi Pro League title, Al Ittihad have been struggling this term. They’re already well off the pace, trailing leaders Al Nassr by 13 points after only nine games.
That already casts serious doubt over whether they’ll even qualify for next season’s Asian Champions League. That may be one factor that could put Salah off a move to the club. He will surely want to join a team ready to compete for major trophies.
A switch to Al Ittihad would present an opportunity to join up with his former Reds teammate Fabinho. However, that is unlikely to be a deal clincher for Sergio Conceicao’s side. If Salah is to move to Saudi Arabia, an alternative destination seems more likely.
Al Nassr
The other leading Saudi club that will be linked with Salah following his Anfield bust-up are Al Nassr. They’ve already shown they can attract the greats, with Cristiano Ronaldo moving to the club in 2023.
The Portuguese forward is still the captain and star player. A switch to the Riyadh-based club would also allow Salah to reunite with Sadio Mane. If he were to join Al Nassr, that would surely create the strongest strike force in the history of Asian football.
However, the off-field relationship between Salah and Mane wasn’t always the best at Anfield. Joao Felix is also at the club, so Al Nassr are hardly in need of another big attacking talent. Those factors suggest an alternative destination is more likely.
Napoli
Of the European clubs, Napoli are currently the shortest-priced to secure Salah’s signature in January.
The Italian champions have already shown a willingness to sign ageing Premier League greats. Kevin De Bruyne joined in the summer, but he has since suffered a serious injury. That could leave them searching for fresh creative talent next month.
However, it’s still going to be a huge ask for Napoli to pull such a transfer off. Salah’s wage demands may also price them out of a move.
A loan switch to another European club is a possibility if the Egyptian turns down Saudi interest and seeks to leave Liverpool. However, a host of clubs could potentially compete in that case. That suggests Napoli are not worth backing at their current price.