Mohamed Salah’s departure from Liverpool brought an end to one of the most successful individual eras in the club’s modern history. After nine years at Anfield, the Egyptian forward left Liverpool at the end of the 2025/26 season and subsequently joined Turkish side Trabzonspor on a two-year contract.

But was Salah’s exit simply the natural conclusion of a remarkable career, or was there another reason behind his decision to leave?

A Departure That Came Earlier Than Expected

One of the most interesting aspects of Salah’s departure was the timing. The 34-year-old still had a year remaining on his Liverpool contract, yet he and the club agreed to end their relationship at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season. Liverpool officially announced the decision in March 2026.

That immediately raised questions about what had happened behind the scenes.

Salah had spent nine seasons at Liverpool, scoring 257 goals in 442 appearances and winning eight major trophies, including two Premier League titles and the Champions League. His departure therefore represented much more than an ordinary contract decision.

The Arne Slot Factor

The relationship between Salah and then-manager Arne Slot became an important part of the story.

During the 2025/26 campaign, Salah was involved in a public falling-out with Slot and was dropped from the team at one point. Reports subsequently linked the deterioration in their relationship to Salah’s decision to leave.

Reuters reported that Salah’s departure followed both a decline in his performances and a public dispute with Slot.

That does not necessarily mean the manager was the sole reason for Salah’s decision. However, the breakdown in their relationship appears to have played a significant role in changing the circumstances around his future.

Salah’s Own Words Were More Diplomatic

Interestingly, Salah himself did not publicly blame Slot when announcing his departure.

In his farewell message to Liverpool supporters, he focused on his nine years at the club, his gratitude to the supporters and the memories they had created together. He described Liverpool as a place that would always be home to him and his family.

That suggests Salah was careful not to turn his departure into a public confrontation.

The difference between his emotional farewell and the reports surrounding his relationship with Slot leaves room for the possibility that the public explanation did not tell the entire story.

A New Chapter in Turkey

Salah eventually chose Trabzonspor as the next destination in his career. He signed a two-year deal after leaving Liverpool as a free agent.

The move has already produced a strong start. On August 23, Salah scored twice as Trabzonspor defeated Istanbul Basaksehir 2–1, immediately demonstrating that he still has plenty to offer at the highest level.

So, What Really Happened?

The safest conclusion is that Salah’s Liverpool exit was the result of several factors rather than one single reason.

Age, performance, contract considerations, the desire for a new challenge and, importantly, the deterioration of his relationship with Arne Slot all appear to have contributed.

What remains unconfirmed is the exact weight of each factor. Salah has not publicly stated that Slot alone forced him out of Liverpool.

Nevertheless, the fact that he left with a year remaining on his contract, combined with the public dispute during his final season, suggests there was considerably more to the story than a routine decision to seek a new challenge.

For Liverpool supporters, however, the final legacy remains clear: Salah left as one of the greatest players in the club’s history—and his next chapter in Turkey has already begun in impressive fashion.