Liverpool have completed their second signing of the 2017 summer transfer window by securing the services of Mohamed Salah from AS Roma, the player having completed the medical on Thursday.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 22, 2017
Liverpool sign Mohamed Salah
The transfer fee is officially undisclosed, with various reports ranging from £34 million to £39 million. Paul Joyce of “The Times” claims his salary has been arranged prior to the two clubs reaching an agreement and it will be £90,000 per week, which is more than double what he was earning in Rome.
The Egyptian winger was already on the Reds’ radar once before, when Brendan Rodgers wanted to sign him from Basel in 2013. The Swiss club wanted £12 million but Liverpool were reluctant to pay that much at the time. Chelsea fully took advantage of the situation and signed the player for themselves, but Salah made just 19 appearances for the Stamford Bridge team over two seasons, scoring only two goals in the process.
In 2015 he was loaned out to Fiorentina, and the following year to Roma. After a season in the Italian capital, the transfer was made permanent.
Liverpool had their initial bid of around £29 million rejected, with Roma reportedly wanting closer to £40 million, but the deal was always likely to happen as Liverpool wanted the player, Salah wanted the move, and Roma repeatedly giving the impression of not being opposed to the sale under the right conditions.
Where He Fits
The presence of Salah in this Liverpool team will first and foremost bring pace to their front line, something that was missing in their play in the absence of Sadio Mane towards the end of the season.
Jurgen Klopp changed the team’s preferred formation from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 at the start of last season to accommodate certain players, and therefore it is very hard to predict how he will be lining his men up at the start of 2017/18. There are several possible scenarios for him to consider when it comes to utilizing Mohamed Salah. He may opt to rotate him with Mane, or he may choose to play them both on the two flanks, since he has already announced that Philippe Coutinho will be playing in a deeper role next season.
With the 19-year-old striker Dominic Solanke already a done deal and now Salah too, it looks like Liverpool are doing exactly what they need to be doing – expanding the squad with quality additions.
VERONA, ITALY – MAY 20: Mohamed Salah of AS Roma celebrates after scoring his team’s fourth goal during the Serie A match between AC ChievoVerona and AS Roma at Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi on May 20, 2017 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Dino Panato/Getty Images)
