Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool exit may not be the greatest footballing surprise, but it does leave many questions about the future of one of the Premier League’s greatest – and undoubtedly Africa’s best.

The Egypt international has risen to the top of club football with the Merseysiders, a sleeping giant before Salah was the star of two Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League crown.

The public fallout with Reds’ manager Arne Slot this season meant the end of his time at Anfield was inevitable – even after a PR patch-up and return from a club-imposed exile following his own criticism of the season and the club’s handling of him.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at what future options and inspirations the 33-year-old has ahead of him, or whether this is the end of the Egyptian king’s reign.

The end of a Premier League era for Salah

A further stint in the English top flight with a move to another Premier League club is surely off the table for any number of reasons, despite Salah’s stats suggesting the Egyptian star would have no problem maintaining his performance levels in the number one league in the world.

Sentimentality and loyalty will be at the forefront of Salah’s thinking. His farewell message on social media to the Liverpool fans, on announcing on Tuesday his departure at the end of the season, confirms the fact that it would be very difficult to line up for a domestic rival.

Only a very limited number of Premier League teams would be able to afford Salah, mainly the clubs regularly in and around the UEFA Champions League qualifying spots. Almost instantly ruled out are Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United – the latter for even more obvious reasons, as Liverpool’s greatest adversaries, than just jostling for positions.

Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur – albeit a club facing potential relegation this season – could be considered options without the fall from grace appearing too deep for a player, who was one of Europe’s hottest properties as recently as a season ago.

The financial options for those clubs are limited, though, and attracting Salah with a financial offer of the size required to match other suitors will be beyond those three, without breaking their own wage structures.

Will the Saudi Pro League renew its interest in Salah?

The most likely option for Salah has to be a move to Saudi Arabia. When the fallout between Salah and Liverpool hit the headlines this season, the Saudi Pro League (SPL) wasted no time in rolling out the red carpet for an immediate move.

Having signed superstar names like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, while missing out on Lionel Messi, only the signing of the greatest Arab player to feature in the top league in the region could outdo what has already been achieved.

The switch to the SPL has long been touted for this reason, well before this season’s rumblings at Anfield, and a move for Salah has appeared an obvious progression for him once his time in European football was up.

The speed of Salah’s exit from Liverpool, with this season’s unrest, has perhaps been the only shock.

Can the MLS muscle in on Salah?

The other most likely option for Salah is a move to Major League Soccer. From David Beckham to Lionel Messi, the United States’ top flight has sought to build its name on star names from the global game long before the SPL threw its hat into the ring as a challenger to European domination of club competitions.

The MLS not only want domestic success but they see their branding as a global aspiration – to bring the world’s game to the US. Snapping Salah from under Saudi noses is possible, but it would be an astonishing coup.

To snatch the best African and Arabic football from a region that would covet the signing so highly would be a hammer blow in the battle between the two best-paying leagues outside of Europe.

Should the MLS make a move for Salah, then surely their most compelling selling point would be to capitalise on the uncertainty in the Middle East.

A move for Salah and his young family to the US would also bring the glitz and glamour that MLS has offered to the likes of Messi, and also dined out on with the help of a global brand icon like Beckham, who co-owns the club Messi plays for, Inter Miami.

Could a move to Spain, Italy, France, or Germany keep Salah in Europe?

There is little doubt that Salah’s stats will still attract the interest of some of Europe’s top clubs. Domestically, Salah will have a field day in any of the continent’s top flights, outside the Premier League.

Wages would again limit the pool of contenders, though. From Paris Saint-Germain to Bayern Munich, the money would be there to pay for Salah, while outside Real Madrid and Barcelona, it is unlikely anyone else in Spain, or indeed all of Italy, could push the budgets too far.

Sealing two years of an elite player, not far from the top of his game, could be a possibility, although it seems a longer shot than mega deals likely to be tabled from Saudi Arabia and the US.

Could this be the end, or will Egypt’s glory at the World Cup and AFCON spur Salah?

While Salah’s days in the best league in the world appear to be coming to a close, and with it the top table of European competition too, that does not mean this has to be the end of the road.

While club glory is unlikely to offer the dizzying heights of previous glories again, Salah will not want his story and illustrious career to wane in this fashion – and there are other matters for Salah to settle.

No matter where Salah ends up now, it is likely to be a step down. Only Real Madrid and Barcelona could offer a similar level of club exposure for the forward.

There are two great matters – one of them an enormous itch – that will still spur Salah.

Although regarded, quite rightly, as an Egyptian king by his home nation and as Africa’s greatest by the wider audience, Salah has not led Egypt to international glory – most especially at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Egypt were knocked out in the semifinals in the last edition by Senegal in January. Many speculated that Salah’s last chance at AFCON glory may have passed.

A downgrade in club football may well elongate Salah’s international career, though, and with another AFCON coming in 2027, the forward will surely not have given up on finally lifting his continent’s greatest prize – one that his nation has claimed a record seven times overall.

First, however, is the FIFA World Cup 2026. Indeed, upon exiting AFCON, the Egypt manager said he hoped that pain could inspire even greater glory.

“It has been very good preparation for us, we’ve tried several systems of play throughout the tournament and played against different types of opponents,” Hossam Hassan said of the 1-0 loss to Segenal.

“We came close to the final, but that’s football.

“I’m satisfied with all that happened and what we achieved. ⁠We have a good team.”

Fellow North African nation, Morocco, proved at Qatar 2022 what can be achieved when they became the first country from the continent to reach the last four of a World Cup.

Egypt will not set their sights any lower than taking their record haul of AFCON titles – although not having won one since 2010 – to the global stage. Surpassing the feat achieved by the Atlas Lions in Qatar will now be at the forefront of all African nations moving forward.

Along with finally getting his hands on an AFCON title, a sign-off on the showpiece event of world football will be a far more fitting finale for an award and trophy-laden career than a dispute with the club where he is adored, a backdoor exit to the domestic game.