Salah’s potential move to MLS
Sporting Kansas City has reportedly become the leading Major League Soccer suitor for Mohamed Salah, according to sources familiar with the situation. This development comes as the club pursues an ambitious summer transfer window. While a move to MLS is considered a longshot due to significant interest from the Saudi Pro League, Salah is said to be open to the idea, even though he reportedly prefers to remain in European football.
The 34-year-old forward previously announced his departure from Liverpool after a successful tenure with the Premier League club. Multiple MLS clubs have shown interest in Salah, but Sporting Kansas City is currently in a strong position should he decide to move across the Atlantic. Salah’s club future is now a prominent topic following Egypt’s elimination from the World Cup after a round-of-16 loss to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
The new majority owner of Sporting Kansas City, Peter Mallouk, is the son of Egyptian immigrants, which could be a factor in the club’s pursuit of Salah. However, reports also suggest that Salah has made a decision regarding staying in Europe, with this possibility now deemed increasingly unlikely. Instead, the expectation is that he will move to either the Saudi Pro League or the United States. A deal in principle is reportedly already in place with the Saudi Pro League, though Salah has yet to determine which club he would join.
Sporting KC’s broader transfer strategy
Mohamed Salah is not the only high-profile player Sporting Kansas City is targeting this summer. The club aims to fulfill a commitment to increase spending and ambition as it transitions into a new era. Sporting Kansas City is also working on potential deals for Toulouse winger Yann Gboho and Olympiacos winger Andre Luiz. Initial reports from a Greek outlet regarding talks for the left-footed Brazilian, Luiz, have been confirmed by sources.
Either of these deals, if finalized, could be among the most expensive in league history, with discussions reportedly in the range of $18-20 million. Negotiations for Luiz are said to be more advanced than those for Gboho. Gboho, 25, is a former France youth international who recently completed a season with 10 goals and three assists in 35 appearances across all competitions. Luiz, 24, joined Olympiakos in January for a reported fee around $7 million and could move again for nearly triple that amount. He recorded seven goals and six assists in the first half of last season in Portugal with Rio Ave FC.
Peter Mallouk indicated the team’s commitment to improvement, stating, “Promises made will be promises kept. Lots of conversations happening. One way or another, this team will be significantly better in the second half, much better by the sprint season.”
Club transition and recent performance
Sporting Kansas City is currently undergoing a transitional season, marking the first in a new era following the departure of club legend Peter Vermes as chief soccer officer and head coach, alongside a change in majority ownership. New chief soccer officer David Lee is focused on developing the sporting infrastructure and overhauling a roster that has not evolved with the league in recent years.
Rapha Wicky was appointed head coach this winter. After a challenging start, the team showed increased competitiveness in the matches leading up to MLS’s World Cup break. Despite this, Sporting Kansas City remains at the bottom of the Western Conference with 11 points after 14 matches. The club currently has two Designated Players, Dejan Joveljic and Manu Garcia, and appears intent on adding a third this summer.
Salah had a disappointing 2025-26 season for Liverpool, scoring seven goals and providing seven assists in 2,150 Premier League minutes, following a career-best league season in 2024-25 where he led Liverpool to the title with 29 goals and 18 assists in 3,380 league minutes.
Read Also
Source: nytimes.com
Freya Donnelly is the Sports Reporter at News-UK, covering tennis, cricket and athletics with seven years of reporting experience. She reported on Team GB through an Olympic cycle. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of Brighton and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Brighton, she plays club cricket in the summer. “Listening is the most underrated skill in sports reporting.”
