Mo Salah is leaving Liverpool but Liverpool will never leave him. He made clear as much in his emotional statement revealing he was moving on this summer. Salah has a bond with Liverpool, the club, the fans, the community and the city, that distance cannot break. Liverpool supporters and their Egyptian King have too many shared memories: some painful like his shoulder injury in the 2018 Champions League final, but many more beautiful like his nerveless early penalty in the 2019 final.
Salah's return of 255 goals in 435 games is an immense deposit in the memory bank. He is so much more than a goal machine to Liverpool. Salah entertained, brought hope and joy, and how important are those qualities this season? The Premier League has been a show but not a spectacle.
He won with style, often a smile. He scored unforgettable goals. Bursts of pace, changes of direction, dashes of panache and effortless balance defined one particularly special goal in 2021. Salah slalomed in from the right against Manchester City, weaving past Foden and Cancelo, then drifting away from Bernardo Silva as he dived in, finding only thin air.
Salah was gone, turning Laporte inside out, before shooting right-footed past Ederson. He left a trail of tangled limbs and scrambled senses in his wake. And these were seriously good players he was running rings around. Salah, at his best, could do that.
His style and demeanour, his aura, made him incredibly popular. Raheem Sterling's daughter used to send her father videos of her singing the Salah "running down the wing" song. When Raheem was at City.
Salah has been a maestro capable of solo magic and a team player, too. 119 assists highlights that. Along with Mane and Firmino, Salah formed one of the most formidable attacks in Premier League history. He's up amongst Liverpool greats, behind only Dalglish. He’s up amongst Premier League greats, behind only Thierry Henry.
Salah is more than a player. He transcends football. He’s a sporting role model, a cultural figure, an inspiring representative of his faith, and great ambassador for his country. Away from the game, Salah lives a simple life, dedicated to his family and his faith, and to his extensive community and humanitarian work.
At one PFA event, Salah walked up to collect an award, stopping to talk to a fan in a wheelchair on the way. He walked back the same way to show the award to the fan. He's not only a class act as a footballer but as a human being, too.
At 33, Salah leaves with his legacy intact, before the legs slow further, before any tensions arise with Arne Slot again. It’s the right decision at the right time for both parties, as Liverpool save a fortune on a year's wages and Salah leaves with the crowd wanting more.
His farewell tour could conjure up more memories, maybe even a trophy. Liverpool will be galvanised by this news, saddened but wanting to send one of their greats off in style. Salah will want to leave on a winning note. He will certainly leave with his ears ringing with acclaim. This means Mo.
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