Liverpool’s Alternate Reality: How Missing Out on Mohamed Salah Could Have Changed Everything

Liverpool FC and Mohamed Salah have become synonymous with Premier League success over the past decade. Yet, as ESPN Soccer highlights, the club’s fateful 2017 decision to sign Salah from AS Roma was far from inevitable. Reimagining the last nine seasons without Salah reveals just how profound his impact has been—and how different Liverpool’s trajectory could have been if he’d landed elsewhere.

When Liverpool targeted Salah in the summer of 2017, he was already an emerging star but not yet the global phenomenon he would become. There was real uncertainty about whether the deal would go through, with negotiations reportedly stalling and other clubs circling. Had Liverpool failed to secure his signature, the club would have missed out on a player who shattered records and redefined their attacking style.

• 183 Premier League goals for Liverpool (as of 2026)—Salah stands as one of the club’s all-time leading scorers.
• Three Golden Boots, multiple Player of the Month honors, and a central role in Liverpool’s Premier League (2019-20) and Champions League (2018-19) triumphs.
• Salah’s 44 goals in all competitions in his first season (2017-18) set a club record.

Without Salah’s relentless scoring, Liverpool’s attack would have looked drastically different. The potent front three of Salah, Sadio Mané, and Roberto Firmino became a symbol of attacking football. Without Salah, the burden on Mané and Firmino would have intensified, and Liverpool might have pursued alternative targets—perhaps settling for a less explosive winger or shifting their tactical approach entirely.

ESPN Soccer suggests that Liverpool’s trophy cabinet would likely be far emptier. Salah’s goals powered the club to a Champions League final in his debut season and the historic Premier League title the following year. Without his influence, Manchester City’s domestic dominance could have gone unchallenged, and Liverpool may have struggled to attract elite talent or keep pace with rivals.

Salah’s arrival also had ripple effects beyond the pitch. His commercial appeal and global fanbase helped elevate Liverpool’s brand worldwide, increasing revenues and raising the club’s profile in markets across Africa and the Middle East. The Egyptian’s leadership and professionalism set a standard for new signings and the next generation of academy graduates.

There’s also the question of where Salah would have ended up had Liverpool not pulled the trigger. A move to a direct rival such as Chelsea or Manchester United could have altered the balance of power in English football. Salah might have become the talisman for another club, rewriting Premier League history in the process.

Ultimately, Salah’s transfer remains a watershed moment in Liverpool’s modern era. As ESPN Soccer notes, it’s easy to forget how close the club came to missing out. The story of what might have been only underscores the magnitude of what actually occurred: a partnership that propelled Liverpool to the pinnacle of European and English football, and a player who will be remembered among the greatest to ever wear the red shirt.