Mohamed Salah left Liverpool. Egypt just had the best World Cup run in their history. And now the question every club director in three different leagues is asking is the same: where does he go next?
According to The Athletic's Paul Tenorio and Tom Bogert, Sporting Kansas City have emerged as the leading MLS suitor for the 34-year-old. Their majority owner Peter Mallouk's Egyptian heritage is being floated as a genuine selling point — and in a transfer battle, you use every edge you have.
The honest picture: MLS is the long shot
Salah prefers Europe. That's the clearest signal in the report. Saudi Arabia has "heavy interest" and the financial firepower to make almost any deal work. MLS is described as "a long shot." That's a meaningful gap to close, and Kansas City's pitch will need to be more than cultural connection to bridge it.
Still, the MLS angle isn't nothing. Salah's profile, even at 34, would be transformative for the league in a way few signings could match. His arrival in Kansas City would shift the commercial ceiling of the entire franchise. From a pure destination-appeal standpoint, it also matters that he's coming off Egypt's deepest World Cup run ever — the man is not in decline mode.
At the 2026 World Cup, Egypt beat New Zealand for their first-ever group stage win, beat Australia on penalties in the Round of 32, and then led Argentina 2-0 in the Round of 16 before Messi's side clawed back a 3-2 win. Salah contributed a goal and two assists across the tournament, but the numbers undersell it — he was everywhere, carrying a team on pure force of will.
Nine seasons at Anfield, four Golden Boots, and a clean exit
Liverpool got nine seasons out of Salah. Two Premier League titles. One Champions League. Four Golden Boot awards. Whatever he does next, his Anfield chapter ended on his terms — not through injury, not through being phased out, not through a messy breakdown. That matters when clubs assess what they're actually getting.
After the Argentina defeat, Salah posted: "I promise you that I'll do everything in my power to ensure this marks a fresh start for Egyptian football on the international stage. Qualifying for the World Cup won't be enough, and just participating won't cut it either."
That's the mindset of someone not winding down. Whoever lands him gets a player with unfinished business — which is either very good news or a complication, depending on what the club needs.
Saudi Arabia remains the most likely destination. But Sporting KC are at least in the conversation, and in a transfer saga this open, that's worth something.
