Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian forward who has taken world football by storm, was once a raw talent discovered by Chelsea during their encounter with his FC Basel team in the UEFA Europa League matches of the 2012-13 season.
At that time, he was reportedly on the brink of joining Liverpool. However, it was Jose Mourinho's keen eye and insistence that led to Chelsea securing a deal for this promising player in January 2014.
Upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge, Salah found himself amidst an array of attacking talents. With Eden Hazard, Willian and Andre Schurrle leading as wingers at the club, carving out a place for himself proved challenging for young Salah.
Cesc Fabregas thinks Salah already had tools to succeed
Six months after Salah's signing, Cesc Fabregas joined Chelsea from Barcelona. The two played together during the first half of the 2014-15 season before Salah was loaned out to Serie A side Fiorentina.
In a recent appearance on BBC's Planet Premier League podcast, former teammate Fabregas shed light on his early impressions of Mohamed Salah. He described him as not being very prolific in front of goal during their time together at Chelsea but acknowledged that many attributes were already present in his game which have now been honed to perfection.
Former Chelsea midfielder, Cesc Fabregas, said:
"He was not so prolific in front of goal. Maybe it was lack of chances. You could see his trends. You could see he was quick. You could see that he was attacking the spaces. But then when he had one against ones, maybe he was not as strong as he is now."
Salah’s career took off when he joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017. Since then he has made an impressive 332 appearances for 'The Reds', registering an astounding tally of 204 goals and contributing with 88 assists. His performance has earned him recognition as one of football’s finest forwards globally.
Salah eventually lived up to all the hype and expectations
His journey from struggling as a youngster at Chelsea to becoming one of Liverpool's most celebrated players is a testament to his perseverance, hard work and talent. It's a story that continues to inspire sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike.
Mohamed Salah’s rise in world football serves as an inspiring tale for young talents worldwide. His journey from Chelsea struggles to Liverpool legend stature underscores the importance of patience, hard work, and continuous improvement in achieving success.
As Fabregas rightly pointed out, Salah had the attributes early on; it was just a matter of fine-tuning them to reach the high level he now exhibits on the pitch.
