Is Mohamed Salah a viable signing for Barça? The keys to this operation

Mohamed Salah has been linked to FC Barcelona in recent weeks, especially with his contract with Liverpool expiring in June 2025 and the stagnation of negotiations regarding his renewal. The Egyptian would arrive in Catalonia as a free agent, but his salary will not be easy to fit into the Blaugrana wage bill. At least not without the departure of a 'heavyweight' from the squad.

The 32-year-old player (turning 33 in June) earns around 21 million euros gross per year at Liverpool, a high amount for Barça's salary scale. In that sense, to wear the Blaugrana jersey, Salah would have to accept a significant pay cut, possibly around 15 'kilos' annually.

Al-Hilal, on the other hand, has offered him a salary of up to 50 million euros per season, a prohibitive figure for any European club. Liverpool still holds out hope of renewing his contract, while other clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan are preparing tempting offers to acquire the '11'. In the 24-25 season, 'Mo' has scored 32 goals and provided 22 assists in 43 matches. Impressive figures that placed him as a candidate for the Ballon d'Or, but his early elimination from the Champions League cooled this possibility.

Would Mohamed Salah fit into Barça's scheme?

Beyond the financial aspect, one of the significant factors hindering the possible arrival of Mohamed Salah at Barça this year is the presence of Lamine Yamal. The Egyptian has always performed better on the right flank, a position where the '19' is already untouchable despite his young age. Therefore, the player from Nagrig would have to settle for playing on the left or as an attacking midfielder, two positions where he would not be guaranteed a starting role.

This, without a doubt, is another significant obstacle for the plans of the experienced African player. Salah has no intention of joining a club that does not guarantee him a starring role and, in Barcelona, the competition for a spot to accompany the trio formed by Lamine, Raphinha, and Lewandowski is fierce. Not for nothing, the club prefers to go for a natural left winger, a decision that could even affect Rafa's prominence.

Given these circumstances, although it would be a luxury signing coming at 'zero cost', the chances of seeing 'Mo' this year at the revamped Spotify Camp Nou are really slim. However, from now until August, anything can happen. Deco and Joan Laporta know that the summer will be very busy in the club's offices, as many players are willing to sign for Barça, but few spots are available in a squad that Hansi Flick has managed to maximize.