Mohamed Salah has lifted the lid on the moment he knew it was time to leave Liverpool, revealing how a private conversation with Steven Gerrard at his home convinced him to depart Anfield on his own terms.

The Egyptian forward, who will end his nine-year Liverpool career this summer, spoke candidly about finding peace with his decision after what he describes as a tough campaign under Arne Slot.

Speaking to Gerrard himself for TNT Sport, Salah disclosed the impact of their face-to-face meeting. "Yeah, I'm happy now. I remember we had that conversation. I appreciated that. I think people didn't know that you came to my house. I hope it was a good dinner," Salah said.

"We had a good conversation, and you said your opinion, and I think I really, really appreciate it. Yeah, I'm glad that I'm leaving now from a big door, and I think this is also something you mentioned to me, just leaving on your terms, and I still remember those words, so, yeah, I'm happy about it... it's time to go."

The revelation adds another layer to Salah's March announcement that he would be leaving Liverpool after establishing himself as one of the club's greatest ever players. With 257 goals since arriving in 2017, he sits third in the all-time scoring charts behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.

What emerges from Salah's words is the burning ambition that has driven him throughout his Anfield career. His honesty about wanting to surpass even Liverpool legends is striking in its boldness.

"I would say the desire, I really want to succeed. I really want to be remembered in this club," Salah explained. "I think, after the first year, I would say 'I want people to remember me as one of the best'. And somehow it gets into my head.

"I want people to remember me more than you (Gerrard) more than Kenny (Dalglish). I'm not trying to be rude. For me, something drives me crazy, and drives me to work hard, to be the first one in, to go to the gym, to do everything right, because I want people always to praise me up there for my work ethic. So it's just a desire, I would say."

That relentless pursuit of greatness helped deliver the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Premier League between 2019 and 2020. But this season has proved testing for both Salah and Liverpool.

The campaign hit rock bottom between September and November when Liverpool lost nine of 12 games. Salah found himself starting as a substitute for three successive matches as Slot desperately tried to arrest the slide. The Egyptian's frustration boiled over after a 3-3 draw with Leeds on December 6, when he accused the club of allowing him to be "thrown under the bus".

Reflecting on that difficult period, Salah maintains he still has plenty to offer. "I didn't become old overnight, so last season I had this incredible season. I think I have a lot to give still, and I will see what's best for me," he said.

"But also, to go through the season, I feel like: 'OK, you know what? This is the right thing to do now, and I have peace with it'. The season was tough for all of us, and, yeah, I don't want to say much."

Currently sidelined with a hamstring problem, Salah is expected to return before the Premier League season concludes on May 24. It means Liverpool supporters will get the chance to bid farewell to a player who, regardless of how this season ends, has already secured his place in Anfield folklore.

Gerrard's role in helping Salah find clarity over his future speaks to the continuing influence of club legends long after they hang up their boots. Sometimes the most important conversations happen away from the cameras, around a dinner table, between two men who understand what it means to carry the weight of Liverpool's expectations.

The question now is whether Salah's final weeks in a red shirt can add one more chapter to a story that has already exceeded even his own ambitious dreams.