Salah's long goodbye brings curtain down on golden era for Liverpool

LIVERPOOL, England — Mohamed Salah's long goodbye from Liverpool signals the end of a glorious era and leaves the Premier League giant facing another expensive rebuild.

The Egyptian superstar announced on Tuesday that he would be leaving Anfield at the end of the season after a glittering nine-year spell at the club.

An emotional Salah, 33, expressed his love for Liverpool, where he stands alongside the club's all-time greats.

"Liverpool is not just a football club. It's a passion, it's a history, it's a spirit. I can't explain in words to anyone not part of this club," he said in a video posted on social media.

Salah, who arrived from Roma in 2017, has scored 255 goals for the Reds, putting him third on their list of leading goalscorers, behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.

He has won two Premier League titles along with a Champions League trophy and a Club World Cup winner's medal, as well as the FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield — on top of a remarkable number of personal awards.

But, beyond his numbers, Salah was the poster boy of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool revolution, helping fire the German's team back to the summit of English and European soccer alongside the now departed Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

Salah was again the main man last season under new boss Arne Slot, scoring 29 goals to collect the Premier League Golden Boot for a record-equaling fourth time, as the club romped to a 20th English title.

The winger signed a new two-year deal in April, riding a wave of goodwill, after months of speculation over whether he would stay or go.

But serious cracks emerged earlier this season when he said he had been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool, and that his relationship with Slot had broken down after a dramatic dip in form that meant the Egyptian was repeatedly benched.

Soon afterward, he left for the Africa Cup of Nations, but he returned to Anfield in January, becoming a regular starter again.

Slot tried to draw a line under the incident, but Salah did not publicly apologize and speculation over his future never entirely went away.

Uncertain futures

Salah is one of the few survivors from the Liverpool side that won the 2019 Champions League under Klopp, along with goalkeeper Alisson Becker and defenders Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson.

The Reds appeared to have engineered a smooth transition when Slot won the Premier League in his first season, before splashing out nearly 450 million pounds ($600 million) on new players, including forwards Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak last summer.

But there were also many outgoings, which left the club light on options in various areas, while the impact of the death of Diogo Jota in July has been impossible to gauge.

A lack of depth has been exacerbated by significant injuries, including to Isak, and a collective loss of form in a disastrous title defense.

Salah himself has managed just five goals in the Premier League this season — a paltry return by his stellar standards.

It means Liverpool is braced for another expensive summer transfer window as it seeks a return to the top of the table.

A wide attacking player to replace Salah will be a major priority, and the club will look at reinforcements for an ageing defense that includes captain Van Dijk and Robertson, as well as fresh midfield options.

It is unclear, though, whether Slot will be in place to oversee the rebuild, with uncertainty over the Dutchman's future and continuing speculation linking former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso with the Anfield job.

But Liverpool — and Salah — can still end the season on a high, with quarterfinals to come against Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City in the Champions League and FA Cup, respectively.

Liverpool remains fifth in the Premier League table, which would almost certainly bring Champions League soccer next season, despite a poor recent run.

Salah's own future is uncertain — he has previously been linked with a switch to Saudi Arabia, while other options include Major League Soccer in the United States or a return Italy's Serie A.

But, before his departure comes a lengthy and emotional farewell.

"You deserve a send-off that reflects your status at LFC — the greatest," Robertson posted on Instagram. "Second to none."