Liverpool news: Mohamed Salah makes transfer admission amid Jurgen Klopp praise
LIVERPOOL star Mohamed Salah has lifted the lid on his reasons for leaving Chelsea, while crediting Jurgen Klopp for his rise to the top this season.
Mohamed Salah currently leads the top of the Premier League Golden Boot standings with 31 goals, is being mentioned in the same breath as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and is set to appear in his first ever Champions League final.
But the Egypt international has had to come a long way since his Chelsea days to reach the top of his sport.
Salah’s first venture into the Premier League was a miserable one after arriving in west London from Basel in 2014.
The forward managed just 13 league appearances for the Blues in a two-year spell as he was sent out on loan to Fiorentina and Roma.
Salah began to make a name for himself in Serie A and eventually left Stamford Bridge in 2016.
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I think he made a difference. He's a great, great coach, also great man… he helped me a lot to improve myself
A year later, Salah made his way back to England with Liverpool forking out £34m for him, and 43 goals later he was crowned PFA Player of the Year.
“I didn't have my chance [at Chelsea], so I must leave,” Salah said.
"In my mind, I don't want to be someone sitting on the bench, and waiting to be number four or five or play two minutes and he's still in the big club. It doesn't work.
"I went to Fiorentina, and then after I went to Rome, I had two season and a half there in both clubs.
“I did very good there. And when I had a chance to come back, I said yeah, it's time to come back to England."
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Liverpool’s front three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Salah have played a large part in Liverpool’s success this season.
And Salah credits manager Jurgen Klopp for improving his own game to ensure he can compete on the biggest of stages.
“I think he made a difference. He's a great, great coach, also great man… he helped me a lot to improve myself,” he added.
“I have also confidence to play what I want. We have a good relation together."
Having edged past Roma in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night, Salah will have the chance to do damage against another of his former sides when Liverpool take on Chelsea on Sunday (4.30pm).