London (AFP) - Mohamed Salah will leave Premier League champions Liverpool at the end of the season, the Egypt forward announced on Tuesday as he started a farewell to what the club called nine “illustrious” years at Anfield.

The 33-year-old arrived at Anfield from Roma in 2017 and has made 435 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 255 goals to leave him third on the Reds’ all-time leading scorers chart.

He has also won the Premier League Golden Boot award four times while starring for Liverpool in both their ²⁰¹⁹⁄₂₀ and ²⁰²⁴⁄₂₅ title triumphs and their 2019 Champions League victory.

His Liverpool honours also include a Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, an FA Cup and two League Cups.

But Salah, who is currently injured, has scored just five Premier League goals this season, compared with 29 in last term’s title-winning campaign.

His Anfield future became the subject of intense speculation after a dramatic bust-up with Liverpool manager Arne Slot in December.

Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was benched for three games.

- ‘Unfortunately, the day has come’ -

Salah, in a video on social media featuring highlights of his time with Liverpool, said: “Hello everyone. Unfortunately, the day has come.

“This is the first part of my farewell. I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

“I wanted to start by saying that I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people would become part of my life. 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 of this club.”

Salah, a free agent at the end of the season, added: “We celebrated victory, we won the most important trophies and we fought together through the hardest time in our life. I want to thank everyone who was part of this club throughout my time here, especially the team-mates past and present.

“And to the fans, I don’t have enough words. The support you showed me through the best time of my career, and you stood by me in the toughest times. It’s something I will never forget and something I will take with me always.

“Leaving is never easy. You gave me the best time of my life. I will be always one of you. This club will always be my home, to me and to my family.

“Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone,” insisted Salah in a reference to the Liverpool fans’ chant.

Liverpool said on their website: “Mohamed Salah is to bring the curtain down on his illustrious career with Liverpool at the end of the 2025-26 season.

“The forward has reached an agreement with the Reds that will see him close a remarkable nine-year chapter at Anfield.”

The statement added that “with plenty still left to play for this season,” the time to “fully celebrate” Salah’s career would be when he bids farewell to Anfield.

Salah was forced off at Anfield last week after scoring in Liverpool’s 4-0 victory against Galatasary, which sealed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

He had scored in three of his past four starts after an uncharacteristic lean spell, but missed last weekend’s 2-1 loss at Brighton, a blow to fifth-placed Liverpool’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

His time at Liverpool appeared to be nearing its end in December when, having been an unused substitute at Leeds, Salah told reporters at Elland Road: “I said many times before that, I had a good relationship with the manager (Slot) and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship.

“I don’t know why but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”