Mohamed Salah has emerged as MLS’s most coveted post‑Liverpool target, with San Diego FC positioned as the frontrunner after MLS designated him “not discoverable,” allowing direct talks. A competing Saudi Pro League offer and San Diego’s roster and salary constraints — plus the need to move Hirving Lozano — mean any deal will hinge on creative compensation, likely involving ownership or development‑project incentives rather than matching a straight cash salary.
Salah to San Diego: headline target or aspirational pipe dream?
MLS has placed Mohamed Salah at the top of its wishlist for global impact signings. With Liverpool set to part ways with the Egyptian winger, the league has marked him “not discoverable,” effectively clearing San Diego FC to open negotiations without going through the usual discovery queue. That designation makes a San Diego move the most plausible MLS route — but plausibility is not certainty.
The physics of the transfer are straightforward: a massive salary offer from the Saudi Pro League (reports associate Al Nassr with interest) looms large. San Diego is unlikely to outmatch a direct cash bid; its realistic lever is structural — ownership stakes, equity in development projects or deferred post‑career incentives, the kind of creative packages used before with David Beckham and Lionel Messi.
Why San Diego is the natural fit
San Diego’s ownership carries an Egyptian connection. The Mansour Group’s stake in the club and its investment in Right to Dream — including a sizeable acquisition and an academy in West Cairo — gives San Diego a cultural and developmental angle to pitch Salah beyond salary. Tying a contract to legacy projects or an ownership percentage would be familiar territory for MLS, which has precedent with Beckham’s and Messi’s contracts.
Roadblocks on the roster
Even if financial creativity bridges part of the gap, San Diego faces immediate soccer-level constraints. Mohamed Salah primarily occupies the wide attacking role currently filled by Anders Dreyer, last season’s MLS Best XI contributor. More practically, San Diego is entangled in a dispute with Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, whose $7.63 million in guaranteed compensation complicates roster and salary-cap room. Any Salah acquisition would likely require moving Lozano and reconfiguring the allocation of designated player and salary resources.
MLS rules, discovery rights and the leverage game
MLS’s discovery mechanism exists to limit competing negotiations over players; marking Salah “not discoverable” is a league-level decision that creates a narrow doorway for San Diego. The league’s willingness to provide that runway signals institutional appetite to land a global superstar — but it doesn’t eliminate the market realities. Teams still must navigate designated player slots, targeted allocation money and roster compliance.
History shows MLS clubs can bend the financial rules through contract design: non‑guaranteed option years, initial TAM or allocation deals that convert to DP status later, and creative non‑salary value such as ownership stakes. Expect front offices to dust off that playbook if a viable path to Salah emerges.
Other headline pursuits: Neymar, Casemiro, Lewandowski, Bernardo Silva
MLS clubs are casting a wide net beyond Salah. Several marquee names are linked to U.S. moves, but each case has its own friction points.
Neymar and FC Cincinnati
FC Cincinnati’s interest in Neymar is active. For Cincinnati to complete a summer arrival, the club must free a designated player slot by moving a high earner — a difficult undertaking given its current trio of DPs. The path is operationally possible but would require a significant roster reshuffle or a winter‑window timing that aligns with contract expirations.
Casemiro: Miami vs Galaxy
Casemiro’s name sits between Inter Miami and LA Galaxy, with Los Angeles holding discovery rights. Both clubs lack an open designated player spot, meaning any signing would necessitate salary-cap gymnastics. The Galaxy’s discovery position gives them an inside track, but Miami’s star-studded recruitment engine won’t stop pushing. Precedent exists for complex deals that start under TAM or option years and convert into DP contracts; expect similar creativity if a move crystalizes.
Robert Lewandowski and Chicago Fire
Chicago courted Robert Lewandowski earlier in the cycle, but that pursuit has cooled as the striker’s club and personal options remain fluid. At 38 this year, Lewandowski still draws interest in Europe. Chicago’s immediate priorities have shifted, and the club currently benefits from strong form up front — Hugo Cuypers has been a revelation and attracts suitors should Chicago decide to sell.
Bernardo Silva and NYCFC
Bernardo Silva will leave Manchester City and has world‑class suitors; MLS is not at the top of that list. NYCFC’s City Football Group ties make them a natural admirer, and the club’s new stadium plan in 2027 could make a future bid appealing. For now, Silva prefers to remain in elite European competition, leaving MLS as a secondary option.
What this momentum means for MLS
MLS’s aggressive courting of global superstars is strategic: each marquee arrival elevates the league’s broadcast value, sponsorship potential and the sport’s U.S. footprint. Landing Salah would be transformative in global terms — arguably second only to Messi — but it would also force MLS and San Diego to balance short‑term sporting integrity against long‑term commercial gains.
If San Diego secures Salah via an ownership‑linked or development‑oriented package, it would cement a template for future signings where cash parity is unreachable. If Saudi money prevails, MLS’s ambitions will face a reality check: organizational creativity can narrow gaps but not always close them.
Next steps and likely outcomes
Expect a tense summer window. Key indicators to watch: - Whether San Diego can move Hirving Lozano and free DP/slot space. - Any formal financial proposal that includes equity, development investments or post‑career incentives. - Competitive offers from Saudi clubs or European suitors that could accelerate decisions.
MLS has shown willingness to reformat deals for global stars. But in Salah’s case, the decisive factor may be how much value he and his camp place on legacy and project involvement versus immediate salary.
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That calculus — not merely league enthusiasm — will determine whether this remains a tantalizing rumor or becomes MLS’s signature coup.
Theathleticuk
