Mohamed Salah is officially a free agent after Liverpool and the Egyptian forward parted ways by mutual consent on June 30. And now Atletico Madrid is making a serious push to bring him in as the direct replacement for Antoine Griezmann, who is heading to MLS next week.
The timing is interesting. Salah turns 35 this summer, and his last season at Anfield showed some clear signs of decline. He still managed 12 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, which is far from awful. But the explosiveness that made him one of the most feared wingers in the world was inconsistent. Liverpool also started phasing him into a reduced role, and according to reports, Salah didn’t love that.
So now the guy the club just named the fourth-greatest player in Liverpool history — behind only Gerrard, Dalglish and Rush — is looking for a new home. And Atletico Madrid thinks they can get a year or two of vintage Salah if they put him in the right system.
Why this actually makes sense for both sides
Atletico is no stranger to this kind of move. They signed David Villa in 2013 after Barcelona let him go. They grabbed Luis Suarez in 2020 when Barcelona was clearing out aging stars. Both times, they won LaLiga that same season. Diego Simeone clearly has a type: veteran forwards with something to prove and a chip on their shoulder.
Salah fits that mold perfectly. He’s coming off a season where people are questioning whether he’s still elite. He’s a free agent, so no transfer fee. The wages and signing bonus will be steep, but Atleti is saving on Griezmann’s salary leaving the books. Griezmann, the club’s all-time leading scorer with 212 goals, is expected to finalize his move to Orlando City on July 13.
There’s also the Egypt factor. Salah is currently with his national team for the World Cup, and if they get past Argentina in the round of 16, that timeline shifts. But once Egypt’s tournament ends — whether it’s next week or deeper into July — expect his next club decision to come fast.
AfricaTopSports reported that Atletico’s interest is now “serious,” which is a step up from the usual speculative noise around a free agent of this caliber. The team has not confirmed anything, but the logic is hard to ignore. Salah replaces an outgoing legend in Griezmann. Atletico gets a global name and a proven goalscorer. Salah gets one more shot at a top league title.
Everton boss David Moyes already laughed off the idea of Salah crossing Merseyside. So LaLiga it is, unless someone else jumps in. And in a summer where there hasn’t been a truly massive free agent move yet, this one could be it.
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