Following Ronaldo’s Path: Salah No Longer Wanted in England — Time to Move to Saudi Arabia

Mohamed Salah gave a bombshell interview after Liverpool’s 3–3 draw with Leeds, publicly calling out Arne Slot and hinting that his time at Anfield may be coming to an end. Seven minutes of pure fury in front of the cameras.

“The club threw me under the bus. That’s how I feel,” Salah told the Norwegian outlet VG, surrounded by reporters at Elland Road. It was his third straight match on the bench. He spent the full 90 minutes as a substitute against West Ham, came on only in the second half against Sunderland, and didn’t play a single minute against Leeds. The Egyptian finally snapped.

“Someone wants all the blame to fall on me. In the summer the club promised me a lot, and now I’m benched for the third match in a row. I can’t say they’re keeping their word.”

His comments about Slot were even harsher. “I used to have a good relationship with the coach, and suddenly it’s gone. I don’t know why. It feels like someone doesn’t want me here.”
According to Daily Mail, Salah even clarified that there are now “no relations whatsoever” between him and the Dutchman. Full stop.

The reaction of Liverpool’s press officer standing nearby instantly became a meme — shock, despair, and a desperate attempt to message someone for help. We’re all that press officer right now.

Then came what sounded very much like a farewell. “I called my mom and told her to come for the Brighton match. Doesn’t matter if I play or not. I’ll be at Anfield to say goodbye to the fans before the Africa Cup of Nations. I don’t know what will happen while I’m away.”
So could this be his final Liverpool game?

Statistically, things look grim for him: four goals in 13 Premier League matches, only one from open play. Last year: 29 goals + 18 assists.

Salah, however, denies that he’s the problem. “I shouldn’t have to fight for my place every day — I earned it. I’m not bigger than the club, but I’ve earned my spot.” He then compared himself to Harry Kane: “I remember Harry went ten games without scoring and everyone said, ‘He’ll score soon.’ When it’s Mo, people say, ‘Bench him.’”
A clumsy comparison — Kane helps his team even without scoring; Salah, when out of form, becomes a liability defensively.

James Pearce of The Athletic tore into him: “His pride is hurt. But that doesn’t justify blowing everything up. He knows the weight of his words. Saying this now is selfish and disrespectful. It shows a shocking lack of self-awareness. When Slot benched him against West Ham, few complained — because he has been extremely ineffective.”

Chris Sutton added: “Shameful from Mo. Disrespectful to teammates and the manager. His form dipped, so he has to accept the bench. But he thinks he's too good for that.”

Michael Owen wrote: “Mo, I understand how you feel. But this is a team sport, and you can’t say those things publicly. You’re leaving for AFCON in a week. I’m sure you’re biting your tongue, focusing on your national team, and waiting to see what happens when you return.”

Liverpool’s hierarchy, according to Ben Jacobs, fully supports Slot. They will reassess everything once Salah goes to AFCON. Before that, two matches remain — Inter in the Champions League and Brighton in the league.
Alex Crook and Lewis Steele report that Salah may even be dropped from the squad entirely. The irony: he invited his parents specifically to enjoy that Brighton match.

Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad are ready to pay €80–100 million, per Caught Offside. The Saudis offered him €150 million per year last spring. He refused out of loyalty to Liverpool.
Now bookmakers give his chances of leaving in January at 62% — the most likely scenario.

The parallels with Ronaldo are obvious: in 2022 Cristiano gave a scandalous interview to Piers Morgan about Manchester United and then flew to Al-Nassr.
“Wow. Is it time for an interview?” Morgan joked on social media.

Slot has been defending Salah publicly. After the Sunderland match, he said: “Mo reacts professionally. He trains well, supports his teammates.” Before Leeds he added: “He’s an exceptional player. Always in my thoughts.”
A week later Salah declared their relationship dead.

Now Liverpool’s leadership faces a brutal choice:
a club legend who refuses to fight for his place and airs dirty laundry publicly,
or a manager who won the league last year but is currently drowning in crisis.
Both options are painful.

Jamie Carragher said after the defeat to Nottingham: “Salah is a legend and a leader. But he only shows up to the press when he’s winning awards or demanding a new contract.” This time he appeared with accusations.
Last season, every Salah interview turned into a show — he complained the club wasn’t offering him a new deal. In the spring he got his wish: £400k per week.

Liverpool sit ninth with 23 points after 15 rounds. Fans are calling for Slot to be sacked. Dave Ocock reports that Steven Gerrard is ready to take over as interim manager if the Dutchman goes. Sporting director Richard Hughes is not against selling Salah for a big fee.

Salah has been a hero for too long. Now he has become the man who betrays his team at its most vulnerable moment.