The deal will bring to an end a period of negotiations between Liverpool and Roma that began at the start of the month and saw the Serie A club reject an initial £28mn bid. With Jurgen Klopp determined to sign Salah an increased amount, which could rise with add-ons, was eventually offered. Signing Salah represents a case of second time lucky for Liverpool, who wanted the player in 2014 only to see him move to Chelsea instead from the Swiss club Basel. He struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge, however, and in 2015 moved to Italy, joining Fiorentina on loan before moving to Roma, also on loan, soon after. That became a long-term move last August and Salah has subsequently flourished for the Giallorossi. Last season he scored 15 goals and assisted 13 others in 31 league appearances. Klopp believes Salah can provide Liverpool with an injection of pace in their frontline, something all but absent when Sadio Mane is unavailable, and such is the manager’s keenness to acquire the player that Liverpool are poised to make him the joint most-expensive signing in their history, following the £35mn spent on purchasing Andy Carroll from Newcastle United in January 2011.
Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah. (Reuters)
Liverpool expect to sign Mohamed Salah before the end of the week, with the winger due to have a medical on Merseyside before completing a £35mn transfer from Roma. Salah left his native Egypt yesterday and is likely to have his medical at Liverpool’s Melwood base. Personal terms are believed to have been agreed with the 24-year-old.
The deal will bring to an end a period of negotiations between Liverpool and Roma that began at the start of the month and saw the Serie A club reject an initial £28mn bid. With Jurgen Klopp determined to sign Salah an increased amount, which could rise with add-ons, was eventually offered. Signing Salah represents a case of second time lucky for Liverpool, who wanted the player in 2014 only to see him move to Chelsea instead from the Swiss club Basel. He struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge, however, and in 2015 moved to Italy, joining Fiorentina on loan before moving to Roma, also on loan, soon after. That became a long-term move last August and Salah has subsequently flourished for the Giallorossi. Last season he scored 15 goals and assisted 13 others in 31 league appearances. Klopp believes Salah can provide Liverpool with an injection of pace in their frontline, something all but absent when Sadio Mane is unavailable, and such is the manager’s keenness to acquire the player that Liverpool are poised to make him the joint most-expensive signing in their history, following the £35mn spent on purchasing Andy Carroll from Newcastle United in January 2011.
The deal will bring to an end a period of negotiations between Liverpool and Roma that began at the start of the month and saw the Serie A club reject an initial £28mn bid. With Jurgen Klopp determined to sign Salah an increased amount, which could rise with add-ons, was eventually offered. Signing Salah represents a case of second time lucky for Liverpool, who wanted the player in 2014 only to see him move to Chelsea instead from the Swiss club Basel. He struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge, however, and in 2015 moved to Italy, joining Fiorentina on loan before moving to Roma, also on loan, soon after. That became a long-term move last August and Salah has subsequently flourished for the Giallorossi. Last season he scored 15 goals and assisted 13 others in 31 league appearances. Klopp believes Salah can provide Liverpool with an injection of pace in their frontline, something all but absent when Sadio Mane is unavailable, and such is the manager’s keenness to acquire the player that Liverpool are poised to make him the joint most-expensive signing in their history, following the £35mn spent on purchasing Andy Carroll from Newcastle United in January 2011.