Mohamed Salah: The €42m Liverpool Move That Sparked His Rise to Global Stardom

Mohamed Salah’s transfer to Liverpool in the summer of 2017 is one of modern football’s most successful signings. 

A signing acquired with a relatively modest fee turned into one of the most successful footballers in the club's history; Salah became a global superstar, one of the Premier League’s all-time great forwards and a face of world football. Mohamed Salah's record deal makes him one of Africa’s costliest players. Find out where he sits in our African transfer ranking.

Born Mohamed Salah Hamed Mahrous Ghaly, the now 33-year-old, is an Egyptian international who plays primarily as a right-wing forward. He has made a name for himself as an elite scorer and has marked this generation of Liverpool excellence. 

Al Mokawloon (Egypt): His first senior club, where he made his senior debut. 

Basel (Switzerland): His first sojourn into European football. He won two Swiss titles.

Chelsea (England): He joined in 2014 but had limited opportunities, resulting in loan spells. 

Fiorentina and AS Roma: In the Serie A, Salah matured into a high-output attacker and earned a big move to the Premier League. 

 Liverpool signed Mohamed Salah from AS Roma on 22 June 2017 for an initial reported £36.5–£36.9 million.

Contract length at signing: Salah signed a five-year deal in his initial Liverpool contract. 

Wages: Salah’s early Liverpool wage was far lower than his later renewals. His initial contract paid him £120,000 per week, equivalent to £6.2 million annually. 

"Everything [has improved]," he said, comparing his Chelsea stint to his present self at the time. "Even my personality was different; I was a kid – I was 20 or 21. Now I'm four years older; everything is different. I have lots of experience in three clubs: I was at Chelsea, then Fiorentina and then Roma. I have good experience.”

Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool years have been extraordinary in both numbers and silverware

Salah scored 32 Premier League goals (in 38 games), a new record for a 38-game Premier League season, and finished as the league’s top scorer. 

Across his Liverpool career to date, Salah has scored 250 goals for the Reds (205 open play, 45 penalty). 

UEFA Champions League: 2018/19 (winner). 

Premier League: 2019/20; ended Liverpool’s 30-year title drought) and again 2024–25. 

FIFA Club World Cup: 2019 (winner). 

FA Cup & EFL Cup: FA Cup 2021–22; EFL Cup 2021–22

FA Community Shield: 2022

UEFA Super Cup: 2019

July 2022 renewal: Salah signed a three-year deal in 2022, which placed him on around £350,000 per week. That made him Liverpool’s highest-paid player. 

April 2025 extension: Liverpool announced Salah signed a new two-year contract extension in April 2025, keeping him at Anfield until 2027. The renewal came with an increase in his weekly package to approximately £400,000 

Salah has been linked with high-profile offers from Saudi clubs on several occasions, notably in 2023 when Al-Ittihad reportedly offered to make him the second top-paid player in the Saudi Pro League after Cristiano Ronaldo.

Liverpool repeatedly rejected approaches, and Salah publicly reaffirmed his commitment at those times before later renewing his contract.  

According to Capology, Mohamed Salah’s net worth is roughly $55m–$90m in 2025