Al-Ittihad Moves to Secure Mohamed Salah as Liverpool Era Ends Following Slot Fallout

Al-Ittihad targets Mohamed Salah as their new talisman following the Egyptian's confirmed departure from Liverpool at the end of the 2026 season.

By: AXL Media

Published: May 1, 2026, 2:51 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from YSScores

A Seismic Shift in the Global Footballing Vanguard

Al-Ittihad has reportedly accelerated its strategic pursuit of Mohamed Salah, marking the beginning of what is expected to be the most significant transfer saga of the 2026 summer window. The move follows an official announcement from Liverpool Football Club confirming that the Egyptian international will bring his nine, year tenure at Anfield to a premature conclusion this June. While his contract was originally slated to run until 2027, both parties have reached a mutual agreement to terminate the deal, clearing the path for a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League. For Al-Ittihad, the acquisition represents a critical opportunity to restore their competitive standing after a lackluster title defense that saw them fall significantly behind their Riyadh based rivals. According to industry reports, the Jeddah club is prepared to offer a financial package that mirrors the unprecedented valuations seen during the initial wave of Saudi recruitment in 2023.

The December Crisis That Fractured an Anfield Dynasty

The catalysts for Salah’s sudden departure are rooted in a series of administrative and tactical disagreements that emerged during the first half of the 2025, 2026 campaign. Relations between the forward and manager Arne Slot reportedly reached a breaking point in December 2025, following a public spat after Salah was benched for three consecutive fixtures. The Egyptian subsequently claimed he was being "scapegoated" for the team’s inconsistent form, a sentiment that fueled a breakdown in communication with the coaching staff. According to reports from The Times, Salah himself initiated the discussions regarding contract termination, having decided that his professional future no longer aligned with the Dutchman’s rigid tactical vision. This internal friction has transformed a legendary partnership into a cautionary tale of how quickly generational assets can become marginalized under new leadership.

Calibrating a New Talisman for the Jeddah Project

Al-Ittihad’s interest is driven by a functional necessity to fill the void left by the departure of Karim Benzema, who completed a controversial move to Al-Hilal earlier this year. The club has struggled to maintain its offensive potency without a recognizable global icon at the center of its project, slipping to a disappointing sixth place in the dome...