Mohamed Salah on Tuesday formally broke the news that many Liverpool fans have been feeling for several months: that he will shorten his contract and leave Anfield on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Salah signed a new two-year contract with the Reds last summer. However, since then, a drop in form, a drop down the pecking order, an explosive public outburst and a subsequent nosedive in his relationship with head coach Arne Slot, have meant that the Egypt international is unable to get as much game time as he believes he deserves.
However, since arriving in 2017, Salah has firmly established himself as one of the greatest players in Liverpool's history and will no doubt walk away a hero regardless of the current circumstances.
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The 33-year-old has scored 255 goals in 435 appearances for the club (putting him third on their all-time list) and was instrumental in two Premier League titles, domestic cups and the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2018-19.
He has also received several individual plaudits, including three PFA Player of the Year awards, two Premier League Player of the Season awards and four Premier League Golden Boots.
Salah was also awarded the illustrious Puskás Award as part of FIFA's The Best Award gala night in 2018, which, unlike most of its wide range of awards and trophies, raised more than a few curious eyebrows around the world.
The striker was awarded World Football Goal of the Year through an online fan vote for his goal against Everton in December 2017, when he collected the ball on the edge of the area before darting between two defenders and curling an exquisite shot past the goalkeeper.
Of course, it was and remains a perfectly decent goal. However, many at the time were baffled to see that Salah's effort was considered the most beautiful goal scored that year… when it wasn't even his best goal of 2017-18, far from it.
The sentiment was even shared by teammate James Milner, who wryly congratulated his then Liverpool teammate after the winner was announced, fending off competition from Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and a host of scorchers. great goals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
“Congratulations to Mo Salah on your seventh best goal of the year last season,” Milner wrote in a social media post that also included “#oneofmanyworldies” among several hashtags and emojis.
But was Milner right? By our count, there were at least six Salah goals in his imperious 2017-18 season that merited a place on Puskás' short list before his goal in the Merseyside derby. But whether or not you agree with this subjective list, it serves as a reminder of what Salah has been as a player for Liverpool.
Salah scored two goals in the 3-0 win against Southampton, including a beautiful shot from outside the area. The precise, angled shot was quite similar to his shot against Everton but from a little further away.
2. November 29, 2017 against Stoke City
In another riotous 3-0 victory, Salah scored the goal of the match when he connected with Sadio Mané's cross to unleash a fierce volley past the goalkeeper. The powerful shot was voted Goal of the Month by Liverpool fans.
Liverpool inflicted their first Premier League defeat of 2017-18 on Manchester City with a frenetic 4-3 victory over the leaders at Anfield that went down as the game of the season. The score went from 1-1 to 4-1 in just nine frenetic minutes, with Salah scoring what proved to be the decisive goal with an audacious lob from 35 yards.
Liverpool and Spurs played out another dramatic thriller as both teams exchanged goals in injury time in a vibrant 2-2 draw at Anfield. Salah opened the scoring for the hosts before Victor Wanyama stopped them with an absolutely monstrous strike from distance. The Egypt international looked to have achieved victory in the 91st minute when he broke through a group of four defenders and beat Hugo Lloris. However, a penalty from Harry Kane in the 96th minute spoiled the party a bit.
5. March 17, 2018 against Watford
Salah scored four goals (and assisted the other) in the 5-0 rout at Anfield in what turned out to be one of the agile striker's many virtuoso displays this season. His first was good, the second was skillful and the third was almost ingenious, as the Reds star somehow fended off a whole group of defenders before managing an improvised shot past the goalkeeper.
6. April 24, 2018 vs. AS Roma
If you'll pardon the obvious pun, Salah produced another five-star performance in Liverpool's 5-2 thrashing of his former club in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. He opened the scoring with his best goal of the night, unleashing an immaculate shot past the outstretched arm of future teammate Alisson Becker. He then scored a second before providing assists for the Reds' third and fourth goals of the night.
