Mohamed Salah is set to depart Liverpool this summer, solidifying his legacy as one of the most exceptional talents to have ever played for the club and graced the Premier League.
While Salah’s impressive statistics unequivocally demonstrate his impact, his significance to Anfield goes far beyond mere figures, earning him the affectionate moniker ‘Egyptian King’ from his devoted supporters on the Kop.
He joined Liverpool from AS Roma on June 23, 2017, for a fee of £34 million – a sum that, in hindsight, appears remarkably low given the immense success he subsequently brought to the club.
Like fellow future Premier League icon Kevin de Bruyne, Salah had a prior stint at Chelsea where he struggled to establish himself, managing only two goals in 19 appearances, with just 10 starts.
In January 2014, he initially chose Chelsea over Liverpool upon departing Swiss club Basel. His sole prior memory of Anfield before his eventual move to Merseyside was starting for Jose Mourinho’s team in a 2-0 victory there that April – a match notably remembered for Steven Gerrard’s slip and its role in Manchester City securing the league title.
Since his arrival, however, Salah has etched countless unforgettable moments into the minds of Liverpool fans worldwide, contributing significantly to a trophy haul that includes the Champions League, two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, EFL Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup for Anfield.
Salah’s professional career began somewhat cautiously at Basel, though coach Murat Yakin foresaw his potential after he scored in their 2013 Europa League quarter-final triumph over Tottenham.
Yakin remarked at the time: ‘If Mohamed were also a prolific scorer, he wouldn’t remain with us for long.’
He indeed became one, and subsequently, he moved on.
Following his departure from Chelsea, Salah developed at an astonishing pace, first during a loan at Fiorentina and then a magnificent period at AS Roma. By the time he joined Anfield, he was a complete player – though it’s debatable whether even Jurgen Klopp fully grasped the extent of the talent he had acquired.
His inaugural goal for Liverpool was a rather untidy, bundled effort near the goal line during a 3-3 draw at Watford on the opening day of his debut season. From that point forward, his scoring spree was relentless.
As Salah prepares for his departure, he leaves with an impressive record of 255 goals in 435 appearances for Liverpool, positioning him as the club’s third-highest scorer of all time, surpassed only by Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.
