Mohamed Salah’s nine-year tenure at Liverpool FC is drawing to a close this summer, and according to reports, the Egyptian forward has made clear his preference to remain in European football rather than pursue a financially lucrative switch to the Saudi Pro League.
Turkish outlet A Spor reports that Salah has communicated his desire to stay in Europe to interested clubs, with Fenerbahçe SK emerging as a serious destination. The Istanbul side have reportedly held two separate meetings with his agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, and are preparing to continue negotiations.
Saudi Pro League clubs remain firmly in the running and are understood to be offering substantial wages, but sources suggest the 32-year-old is unwilling to leave top-level European competition at this stage of his career. Salah is reportedly seeking approximately €20 million per year — a figure Fenerbahce may be prepared to meet, given the club’s established willingness to invest significantly in player salaries.
Should the transfer materialise, it would create one of the most compelling individual rivalries in club football. Fenerbahce’s fiercest domestic competitors, Galatasaray SK, currently boast a formidable attacking trio of Victor Osimhen, Mauro Icardi, and Leroy Sané — a frontline that has underlined Galatasaray’s dominance in the Turkish Super Lig title race.
Osimhen, on a season-long loan from Napoli, has been a central figure for Galatasaray and remains one of Africa’s most high-profile footballers. The Nigeria international’s presence in Turkey has already elevated the Super Lig’s continental profile. The prospect of Salah — Africa’s most decorated active footballer and a three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner — arriving at Fenerbahce would add further weight to that narrative.
Fenerbahce, who have consistently been runners-up to Galatasaray in recent seasons, are actively seeking reinforcements to close the gap on their crosstown rivals. Landing a player of Salah’s calibre would represent a significant statement of intent from the club’s hierarchy.
Salah’s record at Liverpool speaks for itself: across nine seasons at Anfield, he became the club’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League era, won the UEFA Champions League in 2019, and played a central role in Liverpool’s 2019-20 Premier League title triumph. His departure, whenever confirmed officially, will mark the end of one of the most productive individual runs in the club’s history.
No official announcement has been made by Liverpool FC, Fenerbahce, or Salah’s representatives regarding a transfer agreement. The situation remains fluid, and further clarity is expected as the summer transfer window approaches.
