With the 2026 FIFA World Cup over and football club managers around the world finalizing their transfer plans, supporters are summarizing all the rumors and speculation.
But the name hogging the headlines is Mohamed Salah.
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The Egyptian forward attracted attention at the World Cup, where his team lost to Argentina in the round of 16, but as he is in the process of transferring after leaving Liverpool, all eyes will now be on his career at the club.
Al Jazeera Sports looks at where the 31-year-old will go next.
Will Salah join Besiktas?
The rumors are in full swing and the former Liverpool star has a myriad of options.
A move to Turkiye is being discussed, with Besiktas believed to be the frontrunner. If social media reports are to be believed, a verbal agreement has already been reached.
After finishing fourth in the Turkish league last season, club officials are under increasing pressure to improve their results, and signing Salah will be seen as the perfect tonic both on and off the field.
The Istanbul-based club awaits Europa League football this season, with their campaign starting with Thursday’s qualifier against Danish club Midtjylland.
Could Salah move to MLS or the Saudi professional league?
If Salah wants to continue challenging himself to play at the highest level, remaining in Europe would be his first option.
The move to Saudi Arabia has been in the news for a long time. This would be seen as a major coup for the Saudi Pro League, especially considering Salah’s status as not only the best player from the Middle East, but also the best player in Africa.
Another competition that would really like Salah to be their marquee player is MLS (Major League Soccer) in the United States.
Lionel Messi continues to be a star player, but after Argentina’s failure at the World Cup, there is speculation that the 39-year-old will take time away from his international career to pursue a club career.
Will Salah’s stock rise as a first class act off the pitch?
Salah’s appeal goes far beyond his skills on the wing. His magical left foot further enhances his grace off the field.
The Egyptian player made a big mark after the defeat to Argentina by separating his teammates from clashes with officials and opponents.
Salah has amassed a huge fan following and is considered one of the biggest icons of his generation across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas.
Wherever in the world Mr. Salah goes, market players and financiers are likely to rub hands.
Who will replace Salah at Liverpool?
Alongside the question of where Salah will go, there is also the question of who will replace him at Liverpool.
New manager Andoni Iraola has admitted the big challenge is finding a player who can make the kind of impact that double Champions League and Premier League winner Salah had at Anfield.
At the top of the list are Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich’s Bradley Barcola and Michael Oliseh, but Iraola has indicated that he will not seek an immediate replacement to avoid comparisons, putting pressure on the new players.
Did Salah reject Saudi Arabia?
Although not much is clear at the moment, there has been a relationship between Salah and the Saudi Professional League for some time.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) said it would do “whatever it can” to sign Salah after it became clear that he was unstable at Liverpool following a falling out with the club’s then-manager Arne Slott.
Now that the player is a free agent, the Saudi Pro League will certainly be keen to sign him.
Will Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford be the next mover?
The most anticipated move this summer is the transfer of Marcus Rashford.
The forward, who was loaned to Barcelona from Manchester United last season, saw a dramatic improvement in his fortunes, helping the Catalan giants win their first La Liga title in as many seasons.
This led to him being recalled to the England side and subsequently selected in the World Cup squad.
However, Barcelona appear to have rejected the opportunity to sign Rashford for a pre-agreed price as part of a loan deal.
The 28-year-old has now returned to Old Trafford for pre-season, but negotiations are continuing over whether United will offer a lower offer than the one set when the transfer was agreed last season.
Paris Saint-Germain have long been rumored as suitors for Rashford, with Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain having a wealth of talent in their wings, leading to rumors that Barcola could make a move to find first-team football.
Will Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé leave Real Madrid?
Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé have both been linked with a move away from Real Madrid, but that will certainly change with Jose Mourinho taking over as manager.
Mourinho, who is returning for a second spell as Los Blancos manager, will not want to lose the World Cup’s all-time record goalscorer as he looks to turn around the Madrid-based club’s fortunes.
Similarly, Bellingham made headlines by leading England to the 2026 World Cup semi-finals, but Mourinho will be keen to see the midfielder return to an influential role pulling the strings in the center of the park.
Will Jamal Musiala be on the move and could Julian Alvarez end up at Barcelona?
However, one player who could potentially move to Real is Jamal Musiala.
The Bayern Munich winger is seen as a potential foil to Brazil’s Vinicius Junior at the other end. That would create a sizable front three, but Galatasaray could be deprived of a march on the 23-year-old, who just signed a new contract with the German giants in 2025.
Julián Álvarez could be one of the players to leave Madrid from Atlético rather than Real, and his destination could be Barcelona.
The 26-year-old made a surprise move to Madrid from Manchester City after the club were shocked to allow the forward to leave in 2025.
Arsenal have also been linked with a move for the Argentina international, and apart from Salah and Rashford, he appears to be the most likely of the big names still available to sign before the start of the new season.
