Mohamed Salah’s time at Liverpool is confirmed to be ending and questions are growing about where he will move next. Juventus’s sporting director Marco Ottolini moved to quash one persistent line of speculation, telling 365scores: “What is being circulated about negotiations to sign Mohamed Salah to Juventus is not true. At the moment, there is nothing regarding that.”

Ottolini also stressed there is not currently any contact between Juventus and Salah, though he did not rule out the possibility of future approaches. The comments make clear that any immediate shift to Juventus is unlikely, even if the club’s history of securing elite names on free transfers still attracts attention. The club has previously signed big names on free transfers, including Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Kingsley Coman, Sami Khedira, Emre Can and Adrien Rabiot.

That record of bargains sits against a sporting backdrop in which Juventus have not been genuine title contenders for several seasons, a reality that could lessen their appeal to an elite forward weighing his next move.

The strongest links for Salah centre on the Saudi Pro League. The competition has openly pursued Salah over recent seasons and came close last season before Liverpool secured an extension. With his contract situation changing, clubs such as Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah are expected to present offers that would include wages not typically available at European clubs.

Paris Saint-Germain have also been named among potential suitors, described as a surprise given their current emphasis on younger recruitment. There have been additional rumours of interest from Galatasaray in Türkiye. For now, Juventus insist there is nothing in the reports linking them to Salah, while Saudi and other European clubs remain the likeliest destinations as his Liverpool career draws to a close.

Darwin Núñez’s career has been defined by extremes. Beginnings in his homeland and an eye-catching spell at Almeria, where he scored 16 goals, led to a move to Benfica. Forty-eight strikes across two seasons in Portugal convinced Liverpool to pay an £85 million fee, including add-ons (£105 million at the time in dollar terms).

His arrival in April 2022 followed goals in both legs against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final, moments that helped persuade Jürgen Klopp to press for the signing. Early signs at Anfield were promising: a goal in the Community Shield against Manchester City and a goal and an assist on his first Premier League outing raised expectations.

But inconsistency arrived quickly. An impetuous headbutt against Crystal Palace on his first competitive Anfield appearance earned a straight red card. A debut season of 15 goals was often overshadowed by glaring misses. A better second campaign produced 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, yet opinion remained divided.

Language difficulties and questions over his ball-striking technique were noted factors in his adaptation. Power was often prioritised over finesse. Those recurring concerns, combined with a tame seven-goal return in his final season and the arrival of a different tactical approach under Arne Slot, ultimately cost him his place at Liverpool.

Liverpool recouped £46 million when Núñez moved to Al Hilal. Expectations of a revival in the Saudi Pro League have not been met. He managed seven strikes in 23 appearances across all competitions in his first half-season in the Middle East. Al Hilal have been unbeaten and lead the standings, but Núñez has been removed from the club’s squad list for league matches for the remainder of the campaign.

The arrival of Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad has displaced Núñez. To accommodate Benzema within Saudi Pro League registration rules regarding foreign players, Núñez was removed and can play just five more league games this term, though he remains eligible to feature in the AFC Champions League. With limited immediate options, a move looks more likely in the summer.

Mohamed Kader Meïté is reported to be on the verge of joining Al Hilal after the Saudi Pro League club agreed a deal with Rennes worth in the region of €30 million (£26 million, $35.9 million), per Fabrizio Romano. The move deprives Manchester United of one of the few targets they were linked with for January.

Reports acknowledged “approaches” from Premier League clubs, but Meïté is thought to have seen the chance to work under Simone Inzaghi in the Middle East as the “ideal step” in his development. January is shaping up to be a period of consolidation rather than expansion for United.

The Red Devils dropped to a lowly eighth on this year’s footballing rich list. Without European competition to call upon, the club’s revenues will fall further in the next set of accounts, limiting spending power. The financial reach of the brand means United will not be entirely cash-strapped—more than £200 million was splashed on just three forwards last summer—but there are clear constraints.

Ruben Amorim expressed his frustration before his departure. “I have the feeling that if we have to play a perfect 3-4-3 we need to spend a lot of money and need time,” he said. “I’m starting to understand that is not going to happen so maybe I have to adapt.” At his farewell press conference he added: “Every department, the scouting department, the sports director needs to do their job,” and “I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.”

Michael Carrick, now interim coach, has at least one week to prepare for each of United’s remaining 15 matches with the players available. There has been continued talk of Kobbie Mainoo, Joshua Zirkzee and even Bruno Fernandes leaving in January, but if there are no incomings United are hardly in a position to willingly weaken their own hand.

Looking ahead to the summer, United’s attacking depth, reinforced last year, shows in the numbers: second in the Premier League for actual non-penalty goals and expected goals, and top of the division for shots and shots on target. Casemiro will have to be replaced, with Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba considered the likeliest candidates. Replacing Bruno Fernandes would be risky, though this may be the last summer to cash in on the talismanic playmaker, who has left the door open to an exit after the World Cup.