‘More Appealing’—Mohamed Salah’s Preference Between MLS, Saudi Pro League Revealed

There is still uncertainty about how long the Liverpool legend will remain at Anfield.

Mohamed Salah has options to consider. | Steven Halliwell/MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Major League Soccer is reportedly considered to be a “more appealing” destination for Mohamed Salah than a transfer to Saudi Arabia, raising the future possibility of the Liverpool superstar landing in North America over the Middle East.

Salah has a contract with Liverpool until June 2027. A very public fall out with manager Arne Slot appears to have been largely brushed under the rug since the player returned from the Africa Cup of Nations, but the chance of him leaving in the summer hasn’t really been addressed.

It was assumed for a long time that Salah would head to Saudi Arabia once he exits Liverpool as a long-term target for the country’s Pro League given his hero status across the wider region. But Liverpool beat reporter James Pearce has given credence to an MLS transfer instead.

“The MLS is another possible destination for him,” Pearce said on The Athletic’s Walk On podcast. “It’s been suggested to me that actually is more appealing in many ways than the Saudi Pro League.”

In stark contrast to three games on the bench prompting his December outburst directly at Liverpool and Slot, Salah has started every fixture since AFCON. Even with another year to go on the contract he signed last April, his age, reduced output, high salary and the natural evolution of the team around him could all serve to make an exit in the coming months not only plausible, but likely.

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What About MLS Would Appeal to Salah?

Lionel Messi is enjoying things on and off the pitch. | Michael Pimentel/ISI Photos/Getty Images

There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia will remain an option and that Salah could be paid far more in the Gulf Kingdom than by any MLS team—although Lionel Messi’s $20.45 million salary is proof there is still big money to be made in America. But there is clearly more to it for a player who has already pocketed generational wealth for the past decade.

Messi chose MLS over Saudi Arabia in 2023, despite contractual ties to the latter as a tourism ambassador for the country. Both the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, have spoken positively about the off-field lifestyle they now enjoy.

MLS is seen as a lower level than Europe’s top leagues, but Messi’s comments about the on-field style could offer another insight into why Salah might be interested.

“I think it’s a very dynamic and physical league where teams want to score and play on the attack,” the Argentine told Apple TV in 2025.

“There are a lot of back-and-forth matches, and it’s a bit related to the country we’re in and the sports they’re used to, where there’s usually a lot of showmanship, a lot of points, a lot of attacking plays. The league has grown and continues to grow, and I’m sure this won’t stop.”

Egypt’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup will give Salah a direct taste of the United States and Canada, as The Pharaohs play two group stage games in Seattle and another in Vancouver. He could feasibly link up with an MLS club after his involvement in the tournament some time in July.

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Which MLS Teams Could Sign Salah?

San Diego FC is an option. | Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images

Not every MLS market could entertain an approach for Salah and other teams, like Inter Miami, don’t have the room to take him because of an already full Designated Player (DP) quota.

Up to now, the most heavily linked clubs have been Chicago Fire, who are also keen on Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski in a bid to relaunch as a force in the league, and San Diego FC.

San Diego is backed by Egyptian-born billionaire Mohamed Mansour and with individual clubs bearing the financial responsibility for DP salaries over and above the cap, owner wealth definitely helps, as is the case with billionaire Jorge Mas in Miami.

Similarly in Los Angeles, there is an open DP spot at LAFC, as well as a vacant No. 10 jersey—Salah has worn the number for Egypt since 2014.

No MLS team is publicly known to hold Discovery Rights, which provides exclusive access to overseas players, for Salah. Inter Miami had it for Kevin De Bruyne before relinquishing and Sporting Kansas City acquired them for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2022. Vancouver Whitecaps paid $200,000 for Thomas Müller’s Discovery Rights from FC Cincinnati last year.

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