Salah hails Mourinho despite unhappy time at Chelsea

Joe Williams

Former Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah has revealed that he wasn’t happy during his spell at the club but admits he had a “very good relationship” with manager Jose Mourinho.

Salah joined the Blues in a £11million deal from Basel in 2014 but failed to make a telling impression at Stamford Bridge.

The Egypt international was loaned out to Fiorentina after making just 13 Premier League appearances before another loan spell – this time at Roma – led to a permanent deal last summer.

It was clearly a frustrating time for Salah but the 24-year-old is keen to take the positives out of his experience in west London, including his relationship with Mourinho.

“It was one of the key moments of my life and my career in terms of learning,” Salah told France Football.

“I was young, and suddenly I was alongside one of the best tacticians in the world, with exceptional players.

“I didn’t play much, it’s true, and I was not necessarily happy. I wanted to show what I was capable of.

“I was sad not to be able to do that. In spite of everything, I had a very good relationship with coach Mourinho. In every aspect, I only retain the positive, and that was the case at Chelsea.

“I always gave everything, but regardless of what I did in training, I was not in the starting lineup.

“I had to respect the coach’s choices. He had some 20 players and had to pick 11, that’s how it is.”