Salah's MLS path points to San Diego FC as summer exit looms
Mohamed Salah is most likely to join MLS expansion side San Diego FC if he opts for a move to the United States this summer, according to a report from The Athletic. The Liverpool forward, 33, is set to leave Anfield as a free agent when his contract expires, concluding a nine-year stay. While lucrative proposals from Saudi Arabia remain the strongest competition, Major League Soccer has identified Salah as a transformative post-2026 World Cup signing and is facilitating a potential move to the Californian club.
Salah and Liverpool have agreed to part ways despite a year remaining on his current deal, a decision influenced by his reduced role under head coach Arne Slot and a public disagreement between the pair last December. His departure will end a period in which he scored 211 goals for the club, winning the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup. As a free agent, Salah commands significant wage demands, which narrows the field of realistic suitors capable of meeting his financial expectations.
The Athletic reports that the MLS league office has informed all clubs that no team holds Salah's Discovery Rights, a mechanism that typically grants a franchise first refusal on a player. This procedural move is designed to allow San Diego FC to negotiate directly with Salah's representatives without needing to trade for those rights. The expansion side, owned by Egyptian-British billionaire Mohamed Mansour, is viewed as a natural fit, though the club would bear the full cost of any deal after Commissioner Don Garber stated the league would not offer the same financial support it provided for Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami.
San Diego's current roster construction presents a significant hurdle. The team selected the U22 Initiative roster path, which limits them to just two Designated Player slots. They already have two DPs in winger Anders Dreyer, a 2025 MVP finalist, and Hirving Lozano, who has been told he is not in the club's plans but remains under contract. To accommodate Salah, San Diego would need to offload Lozano, or potentially Dreyer, before a deal could be completed. An alternative, as seen with Thomas Muller's move to Vancouver, would require Salah to accept a temporarily reduced salary to avoid occupying a DP slot, a significant concession given the vast offers expected from the Saudi Pro League.
For Salah, a move to MLS would represent a new challenge and instantly establish him as the league's second-biggest global star. For San Diego FC, signing a player of his stature in their second season would be a monumental coup for brand recognition and on-field quality. However, the financial and roster mechanics involved mean a transfer remains complex and is contingent on Salah's willingness to choose a sporting project in America over the more straightforward economic package available in the Middle East.
