Sporting Kansas City enter Salah race as Saudi Arabia talks stall after Egypt exit

Sporting Kansas City have drawn up an ambitious plan to sign Mo Salah on a free transfer, positioning themselves as frontrunners for the Egyptian forward in MLS should his preferred Saudi Arabia move collapse entirely.

Salah, 34, has been without a club since leaving Liverpool at the end of last season, bringing to a close nine trophy-laden years at Anfield. His attention had been fixed on Egypt’s World Cup campaign, but that ended on Tuesday when his side squandered a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to Argentina in the 79th minute and beyond.

Saudi Arabia has long been considered the most likely next chapter for Salah, with Al-Hilal and Al-Qadsiah identified as the most probable destinations. However, reports suggest his wage demands have stalled those negotiations, opening the door for other interested parties. Al-Ittihad made a £150 million bid for Salah as far back as the summer of 2023, underlining the Saudi league’s long-standing interest.

According to The Athletic, Sporting Kansas City are in pole position among MLS clubs if Salah opts for North America, with multiple sides having registered their interest. The club’s new majority owner, Peter Mallouk — whose parents emigrated from Egypt — has made no secret of his ambitions. Responding to reports linking Salah to the club, Mallouk posted: “Promises made will be promises kept. Lots of conversations happening. One way or another, this team will be significantly better in the second half, much better by the sprint season.”

Sporting themselves acknowledge the move is considered a long shot internally, but the arrival of La Liga icons Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann in North America this summer signals a broader shift in the league’s pulling power.

Salah’s own preference remains a return to European football, according to reports, which complicates any MLS pursuit. His agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, has been characteristically guarded on the matter. “Mohamed is doing perfectly fine and neither he nor I prefer to discuss sensitive future plans with people not involved in them,” Issa posted on X last month. “Both he and I are very private about these things.”

Adding an intriguing subplot, Al-Hilal are also reportedly pursuing former Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards — the man who brought Salah to Anfield in 2017 — to serve as their new CEO, after Edwards stepped down from his role with Fenway Sports Group this week.