CHELSEA TRIED TO CHANGE ME SO I HAD TO QUIT

MO SALAH has revealed that he had to quit Chelsea to find his footballing level because the Blues wanted him to change his game.

Jose Mourinho was boss at Stamford Bridge when Salah joined from Basel in January 2014.

The Egypt forward failed to make an impression and was sent out on loan, first to Fiorentina and then Roma, who signed him on a permanent basis in 2016.

A year later, Salah moved to Liverpool and has established himself as one of the world’s top strikers.

He has scored 106 Premier League goals in 150 starts for Jurgen Klopp’s side. He finished last season with 31 goals in all competitions and this season he has already netted 17 times in 18 games.

“Serie A helped me a lot,” said Salah (right). “I have wonderful memories both in Rome and in Florence, where I received a lot of affection. When I was at Chelsea, I had to change the type of football and culture, and I felt I needed to change my way of playing. So, I went to Italy and played well – that period was a great help to get to where I am now.”

Salah finished seventh in the Ballon d’or voting on Monday as Lionel Messi lifted a record seventh title.

Salah has scored 32 club goals in 2021, the same number as Messi, but fewer than runner-up Robert Lewandowski. However, Salah did clinch the Golden

Foot Award and was also voted the Football Supporters’ Association Men’s Player of the Year for the second time at the FSA Awards.

Messi paid tribute to Salah in his acceptance speech. The Paris Saint-germain star said: “Salah will have opportunities in the years to come.

“Both Salah and Lewandowski are at their best at the moment.”