Basel winger Mohamed Salah has joined Liverpool from Swiss side FC Basel for a fee believed to be around £15.
Blues boss Jose Mourinho made the announcement that the Egyptian international had signed for the club prior to Chelsea’s fourth round FA Cup match with Stoke City at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
The 21-year-old who impressed Mourinho during Chelsea’s Champions’ league group stage matches with Chelsea has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with the club and will wear the number 15 jersey.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Salah said: “I’m very happy to sign for such a big club. I hope I can make the Chelsea supporters happy.”
Salah now becomes the third player to be brought in by Mourinho during the January transfer window following the signing of Bertrand Traore and Nemanja Matic.
When speaking to the press on Friday about Salah, Mourinho was full of praise for the Egyptian winger who has scored 17 goals in 27 appearances for his country.
“We like the fact that he can play the same way our attacking players do, which is players with adaptability, to play right, left, or behind the striker,” Mourinho said.
“He’s young, he’s fast, he’s creative, he’s enthusiastic. When we analysed him he looks the kind of humble personality on the pitch, ready to work for the team and to work and to adapt himself to a new life
“We think with him and (Andre) Schurrle, (Eden) Hazard, Oscar and Willian we will be fine.
“We lose an experienced top player like Juan, but we bring in a young player with great potential.
“He has some experience in Europe, the Europa League, Champions League, so he’s not a naive boy arriving in the jungle.
“Hopefully he comes and hopefully with the talented players we have around in the same positions we all can develop together.”
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will be hugely disappointed after having made Salah his primary target only to lose out to Chelsea at the last minute.
