Salah joined the youth team of Al Mokawloon Al Arab at the age of 14 after being spotted by a scout who had originally come to watch another child play but was distracted by Salah.

Salah made his first-team debut on 3 May 2010 in the Egyptian Premier League, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 away draw against El Mansoura.

During the 2010–11 season, Salah continued earning minutes on the pitch, eventually becoming a regular in the team. Despite struggling to score, he remained motivated to improve.