Mohamed Salah is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, and the rumor mill is spinning out of control. Everyone wants a piece of the Egyptian King now that his contract's getting written off a year early. You've probably seen the headlines linking him to a massive payday in the United States. MLS Commissioner Don Garber openly admitted he'd love to see Salah in the league.
But moving to America right now would be a massive mistake for Salah.
I'm not the only one saying it. Egypt's national team director, Ibrahim Hassan, just went on record warning Salah that a move to Major League Soccer would basically consign him to obscurity. Hassan didn't hold back, pointing out that players who head to the US tend to fade from the global radar. He even admitted he doesn't even try to watch Lionel Messi anymore since Messi joined Inter Miami.
Hassan is completely right. If Salah wants to protect his legacy and keep competing at the absolute highest level, the United States is the wrong place to be.
The Problem With the American Spotlight
Let's be honest about what MLS is. It's a fantastic, growing league with incredible facilities and passionate fan bases. But it's not Europe. It doesn't have the Champions League. It doesn't have the week-to-week intensity of the Premier League or La Liga.
When a superstar moves to the US, they aren't going there to test themselves against the best in the world. They're going there to build a brand, enjoy a different lifestyle, and wind down. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that if you're at the very end of your rope.
But Salah is 33. Sure, he's had a rough, injury-hit campaign this year at Anfield, and his relationship with Arne Slot clearly fractured. But he still has plenty of elite football left in his legs.
Look at what happened to other legends. Messi is still a genius, but his day-to-day exploits at Inter Miami just don't carry the same weight globally as they did when he was at Barcelona or even PSG. The games are played in a different time zone for the massive European and African viewing markets. The media coverage outside of North America is sparse compared to the big five European leagues.
If Salah moves to MLS, he disappears from the Ballon d'Or conversation forever. He stops being a week-to-week focal point of global football media. For a player driven by records and individual accolades, that's a massive step down.
Why the Big US Moves Aren't Even Real
Here's the funny thing about all these rumors connecting Salah to the US. Most of them are complete fantasy because of the league's strict roster rules.
Take the Inter Miami rumors. Fans were desperate to see Salah link up with Lionel Messi in Florida. It sounds incredible on paper. But it's literally impossible under current roster rules.
MLS allows teams to have three Designated Players whose salaries exceed the league's salary cap. Inter Miami's three slots are completely locked up by Messi, Rodrigo de Paul, and German Berterame. All three are on long-term deals. Unless Miami magically clears a spot, they can't sign Salah.
Other clubs like San Diego FC and Chicago Fire were briefly floated as options. Both have since backed away. San Diego realized the Egyptian's salary demands were simply too high. Chicago didn't see him fitting into their current project.
That leaves very few realistic American options. New York City FC is one of the only clubs with the financial muscle to pull it off. Their president, Brad Sims, admitted he'd love to have Salah but confirmed the club hasn't even had discussions with his camp. NYCFC is opening a brand new stadium, Etihad Park, in 2027 and they desperately need a face for the franchise. But as of right now, there's no actual substance to the link. It's all just hopeful dreaming from league executives.
The Real Options on the Table
If MLS isn't the move, where should Salah actually go? Ibrahim Hassan made his preference clear. He wants Salah to stay in Europe, mentioning that there's reported interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and top Italian clubs.
Staying in Europe makes the most sense competitively.
- Paris Saint-Germain offers a guaranteed shot at trophies and a massive financial package.
- Bayern Munich provides the structure and elite environment that a perfectionist like Salah craves.
- Serie A is a league Salah already knows well from his highly successful stints with Fiorentina and Roma.
Any of those options keep him in the Champions League. They keep him in front of his massive Egyptian fan base at reasonable viewing hours. They keep him sharp for the national team as Egypt prepares for the upcoming World Cup in North America.
If Europe doesn't work out, Hassan suggested the Saudi Pro League as the next best alternative. Al-Ittihad previously offered nearly $200 million for Salah back in 2023, and they're back in the hunt for a marquee attacker after losing Karim Benzema.
A move to Saudi Arabia carries its own set of risks, and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have complicated things recently. But from a purely sporting and cultural standpoint, it makes more sense for Salah than MLS. He's the most famous Muslim athlete on the planet. He'd be an absolute god in Saudi Arabia. He'd face top-tier talent like Cristiano Ronaldo while staying much closer to home.
Cut Through the Noise
Salah's agent, Ramy Abbas, took to social media to shut down all the noise. He wrote that they don't know where Mohamed will play next season, meaning nobody else knows either. He warned fans to ignore the click-seeking rumors.
He's right to tell people to calm down. But we can read between the lines.
Salah is a fiercely proud, incredibly competitive athlete. He didn't become one of the greatest wingers in Premier League history by taking the easy route. Taking a massive paycheck to play in a league where the stakes are lower and the spotlight is dimmer just doesn't align with who he is.
If you're tracking this transfer saga, stop looking at the American coastlines. Look at the giants of Europe who need a guaranteed source of goals, or look toward the massive projects in the Gulf. Those are the arenas where Salah can actually finish his career on his own terms, at the very top of the mountain. Keep your eyes on the official updates from his camp rather than the speculative fluff connecting him to every club with an open DP slot. He still has too much left to give to simply fade away across the Atlantic.
