Why Mohamed Salah Will Be A Success At Liverpool
Amidst a busy summer transfer window in the Premier League wherein several new faces have been added to the English top flight, Liverpool secured the services of Mohamed Salah from AS Roma for a fee of £39million.
The Egyptian speedster is no stranger to this division, having joined Chelsea from Basel in January 2014. He spent twelve months under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho. It did not go to plan though and by the exact same time the following year, Salah was loaned out to Italian club Fiorentina for the rest of the season.
A return to Stamford Bridge did not materialise for the mercurial winger though, as he was sent back to Italy on loan yet again, with Roma being the recipients at the time. An impressive campaign with the Serie A giants, in which he was named the club’s Player of the Year earned him a permanent move the following summer.
Salah enjoyed his second season at the Stadio Olimpico, scoring 19 goals in 41 games in all competitions and setting up a further 11 in the league alone. He struck a formidable partnership with former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko and propelled the club to a respectable 2nd-place finish in the division, 4 points behind champions Juventus. Jurgen Klopp admitted that he tried signing the player at Borussia Dortmund and that he was pleased to bring him to Anfield.
Liverpool’s attacking gauntlet last season was primarily run by Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane. The addition of Mohamed Salah to this pacey trio adds not just a new dimension of speed, but also an element of trickery. Salah’s ability to suddenly change pace when on the ball has been well examined and his 50 to 60 yard sprints both with and without the ball further exemplify his energy.
He also boasts a creative spark and can thread a neat pass in the final third, thereby providing a glimpse of his playmaking talent. By and large, Salah fits the bill for a Klopp side and could wreak havoc on Premier League defences.
His statistics last season are better than those of his Liverpool colleagues in the same duration, and his contribution in the Europa League proved to be of utmost importance. With Liverpool back in the Champions League now, Salah will be expected to deliver on the continental stage yet again. From the looks of it, he might just be a great asset to the Merseysiders.