"I would love to sign Mohamed Salah, but we have not held any negotiations with him or his representatives yet." That's NYCFC CEO Brad Sims, cutting straight to it — desire without delusion.
Salah has already confirmed he's leaving Liverpool at the end of this season, closing out nine years at Anfield. That makes him one of the most coveted free agents in world football, and MLS clubs are starting to line up — at least publicly.
What NYCFC Actually Want
Sims was careful not to oversell the pitch. He made clear any move hinges entirely on Salah's own appetite for New York, not on the club's persuasion abilities. "We aren't trying to 'convince' anyone; we want those who truly want to be here," he said. That's a smart stance — a half-committed Salah in MLS helps nobody, least of all Salah's legacy.
Interestingly, Sims also downplayed the necessity of landing a global name at all. Squad balance, he insists, is the real priority. It reads like expectation management, but it's also just honest — NYCFC have built their identity on system over star power, and blowing that up for one marquee signing carries real risk.
That said, the timing works in their favour. The club moves into a brand new stadium in 2027, which changes the conversation around ambition and infrastructure. A player of Salah's profile joining ahead of that opening would be a statement. His shirt sales alone would fund a fair chunk of the marketing budget.
Where Does Salah Actually Land?
The honest answer is nobody knows yet — including, perhaps, Salah himself. Saudi Arabia remains the obvious financial destination. A return to Serie A or a Ligue 1 swansong can't be ruled out either. MLS is firmly in the conversation, but it's competing with options that offer Champions League-level attention.
Any club with Salah in their attack next season immediately becomes a threat on paper. His Liverpool numbers — built across nearly a decade at the top of European football — speak to a player who has delivered at every level asked of him. At 32, the legs are still there. The question is which stage he wants them on.
For now, NYCFC have made their interest public and left the door open. The next move is Salah's.
