'I stopped Mohamed Salah agreeing Liverpool deal – I fought for him'
Chelsea thwarted Mohamed Salah's initial move to Liverpool by outbidding them for his services in 2014. The Reds had set their sights on the then-Basel winger during the January transfer window but ultimately lost out to Jose Mourinho's team.
Salah, who is poised to depart Liverpool in the summer, found it challenging to make his mark during his first stint in English football. He featured in 19 matches for the west London club before being loaned to Fiorentina a year later and eventually signing with Roma.
His impressive displays in Italy persuaded Liverpool to rekindle their interest, finalising a £34.3million deal in 2017. Given Salah's triumphant nine-year spell at Anfield, Mourinho has faced criticism for letting him leave Stamford Bridge but the former Chelsea manager sees things differently.
"When people say, 'You let Salah go', I say exactly the opposite," Mourinho told
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"He was going from Basel to Liverpool, and I made a fight. I made a war to make him come to Chelsea. Then comes the part to be a Chelsea player, you need to perform or have to wait. He didn't want to wait and wanted to go on loan and then Chelsea at a certain point decided to sell. That was not me."
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While Mourinho refutes his involvement in Salah leaving Chelsea, Liverpool benefited enormously from the Egypt international's determination to silence his Premier League doubters. The 33-year-old has secured two league titles and claimed four Golden Boots, propelling the Reds to success.
"I think when I was at Chelsea I came here and Liverpool were fighting for the title and the atmosphere was unbelievable," Salah said to Sky Sports in 2021. "And I said, 'Wow, I want to play here one day.'"
"That's why when I was in Rome and there was talk between the clubs, I said I would love to play there, the atmosphere is unbelievable and I wanted to come back to England to prove people wrong, I didn't have my chance there with Chelsea, and I wanted to come back."
Salah confirmed earlier this week that he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the campaign, ending his remarkable stint at the club. He has secured numerous major trophies with the Reds, including the Premier League and Champions League, scoring 255 goals across 435 appearances to date.
In footage posted on social media on Tuesday, Salah said: "Hello everyone. Unfortunately, the day has come. This is the first part of my farewell. I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.
"I wanted to start by saying that I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people, would become part of my life. Liverpool is not just a football club, it's a passion, it's a history, it's a spirit. I can't explain in words to anyone not part of this club."
He continued: "Leaving is never easy. You gave me the best time of my life. I will be always one of you. This club will always be my home to me and my family. Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone."