Liverpool fans are slowly preparing for a painful truth they never wanted to face. The Mo Salah era, the golden age that lit up Anfield and carried Liverpool back to the top of world football, is nearing its end. Reports now claim that Liverpool are lining up a £100 million move for Yankuba Minteh — a deal that says more than words ever could. It’s not just another transfer target. It’s the move that signals the start of a new chapter, and the closing of the one that belongs to the Egyptian King. Every reign must eventually fall, and it appears Salah’s glorious rule at Anfield is entering its final stretch.
It’s a strange feeling for Liverpool supporters. On one hand, they’ve known this day would come. Salah is 33 now, and time, even for football’s greatest, always wins. But on the other hand, it still feels wrong to imagine Liverpool without him — without his smile after a goal, his calm penalty walk-up, his arms outstretched toward The Kop. For almost a decade, he has been the heart of this team, the face of its rebirth under Jurgen Klopp and now Arne Slot. His goals, his consistency, his hunger — they turned Liverpool from dreamers into believers again.
The story of Salah and Liverpool is one of destiny. From the moment he arrived from Roma in 2017, he was unstoppable. Defenders who didn’t fear him learned quickly. Wingers who thought they could match his work rate were humbled. In the blink of an eye, Salah went from being a promising forward to a Premier League legend. He broke records that once seemed untouchable. He delivered trophies — the Champions League, the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Club World Cup. He gave Liverpool fans nights they will tell their grandchildren about. But now, the winds are changing at Anfield.
The report from *Anfield Watch* says that Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, is preparing a £100 million bid for Yankuba Minteh — the Gambian sensation who’s been lighting up Europe. Minteh isn’t just any player. He’s young, fast, direct, and fearless — everything a future star should be. The report describes him as Liverpool’s “perfect candidate for the right-wing role.” That role, of course, belongs to Salah. And when a club like Liverpool prepares to spend £100 million on a winger, you don’t need a press release to understand what it means. The message is clear: Salah’s replacement is being prepared.
Salah’s situation has been uncertain for months. He’s still a world-class player, but the spark has dimmed slightly this season. There have been whispers of frustration — moments when he didn’t look happy being substituted, moments when his body language spoke louder than words. It’s no secret that Arne Slot is trying to reshape the team to fit his own vision. The Dutchman has already approved moves for Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, both younger forwards who represent the future. Ekitike’s bright start has excited the fans, while Isak’s arrival for big money signaled that Liverpool were planning for life beyond their older stars.
And now, with the Minteh rumours growing stronger, it feels like the final piece of the plan is being revealed. Salah’s exit has been in the background ever since Saudi Arabia first came knocking. Last summer, the offers reached £150 million — money that could have changed Liverpool’s transfer power overnight. Salah turned them down then. He wanted one more year at Anfield, one more shot at glory, one more chance to lead the team he loves. But football is cruel, and sentiment only lasts so long. Saudi Arabia hasn’t gone away. Reports say they’ll come back for him in 2026 — perhaps even sooner. And this time, Liverpool might just say yes.
Because for the club, this is about timing. They know that waiting too long could mean losing Salah for less. He’s approaching the final years of his contract. His market value is still sky-high, but that won’t last forever. And with Minteh becoming available this summer, the pieces fit perfectly. Liverpool won’t spend £100 million to let the player sit on the bench. If Minteh arrives, it will be to play — to start, to lead, to begin a new era. Salah, who has never been happy sitting out games, won’t want to play second fiddle to anyone.
There’s also the emotional side. Salah isn’t just a footballer to Liverpool fans. He’s a symbol. His journey from Nagrig, a small village in Egypt, to the lights of Anfield inspired millions. He carried not just Liverpool’s hopes, but the pride of an entire nation. His success opened doors for Arab and African players. His humility made him loved even by rival fans. He became part of Liverpool’s soul — the face on murals, the name sung on buses, the chant that echoes every weekend. Replacing that kind of magic is impossible. But football doesn’t stop for feelings. It moves forward, relentlessly.
Richard Hughes knows that. He’s been tasked with ensuring that Liverpool’s next five years are secure. Under his guidance, the club is focusing on youth, energy, and long-term planning. The new-look Liverpool is being built piece by piece — Isak up front, Ekitike pushing from behind, and now Minteh potentially taking the right wing. Arne Slot’s vision is clear: fast, dynamic, fearless football. Salah once defined that style, but time changes everything.
The Minteh deal, if completed, will be a statement. The Gambian winger is only 21 but has shown flashes of brilliance in the Eredivisie and beyond. His pace, dribbling, and confidence make him one of the most exciting young attackers in Europe. Reports claim Liverpool have been watching him for months, and that scouts believe he’s the ideal heir to Salah. The timing of the story, coinciding with new Saudi interest in Salah, feels too perfect to be coincidence.
Put simply, Liverpool’s plan looks obvious now. Sell Salah to Saudi Arabia for a massive fee, sign Minteh immediately, and hand the keys of the right flank to a new generation. Financially, it makes perfect sense. Emotionally, it’s devastating. But football is a cycle — stars rise and fall, legends leave, and new ones are born.
Inside the club, people have already started preparing for life after Salah. The analytics team is focused on how to replace his output. The marketing department, which built entire campaigns around his image, is quietly pivoting toward new faces. The dressing room, too, is adjusting. Players who grew up under Salah’s influence know the transition will be difficult, but they also see the opportunity for change.
Arne Slot, for his part, has handled the situation with calm authority. He respects Salah deeply, but he also knows the team can’t stand still. “Every era has to end,” a source close to the manager said. “Slot wants to build something that will last another five years, not rely on what worked in the past.” It’s not personal. It’s football.
Salah, though, has never been the type to fade quietly. If this is his last season at Anfield, expect him to leave in style. He will want to finish on his own terms — with goals, with trophies, with pride. The Egyptian King doesn’t want pity. He wants to go out as a champion. And knowing Salah, that’s exactly what he’ll do.
Liverpool’s fanbase is split between nostalgia and acceptance. Many don’t want to imagine an Anfield without him. But others know this is how greatness evolves. When Steven Gerrard left, the world felt like it was ending — but Liverpool found a new identity. When Sadio Mane departed, they adapted again. And now, it’s Salah’s turn to pass the torch.
In the years to come, they will still sing his name. They will still remember the nights when he destroyed Manchester City, the hat-tricks, the last-minute winners, the Champions League glory. There will be documentaries, murals, and songs. Because Mo Salah isn’t just part of Liverpool’s history — he is Liverpool history.
Yet for now, the focus is shifting. The £100 million move for Minteh isn’t just about the future. It’s the line that divides the old world from the new. It’s Richard Hughes telling the football world that Liverpool won’t be caught unprepared. That when one king leaves, another will rise.
Saudi Arabia’s interest in Salah hasn’t disappeared, and if the right offer arrives this summer, it could be the final chapter of one of the greatest stories in modern football. The £150 million that was once rejected might soon become too tempting to refuse. The club would reinvest, rebuild, and reimagine — just as it always has.
Liverpool without Salah will look different. It will feel different. But the essence will remain — the fire, the passion, the hunger. Salah helped rebuild that identity. He gave everything. And when he leaves, he’ll do so with his head held high, knowing he turned dreams into reality.
It’s not the end of Liverpool’s story — just the end of a magnificent chapter. Mo Salah’s name will echo at Anfield long after he’s gone. The next generation — Minteh, Ekitike, Isak — will carry the torch forward, but the legend of the Egyptian King will never fade.
And when the day comes that he waves goodbye, every Liverpool fan will rise to their feet, singing his name one last time — not in sadness, but in gratitude. Because they know they witnessed something truly special. A reign of greatness that will live forever.
