Chelsea has officially signed Mohamed Salah from FC Basel. The deal was announced on Sunday. Salah will reportedly play with Chelsea for the next five years.
Earlier this week, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho revealed that the desire to go after Salah was a direct result of Juan Mata's decision to move to Manchester United. The 21-year-old Egyptian star played for Basel from 2012-14 and managed nine goals in 47 games.
Salah is used to playing the wing and will surely lend some flexibility to Mourinho.
"I like the fact that he can play the same way our attacking players do, which is players with adaptability, to play right, left, or behind the striker,'' Mourinho said, according to The Telegraph. "He's young, he's fast, he's creative, he's enthusiastic. When we analyzed him he looks the kind of humble personality on the pitch, ready to work for the team and to work and to adapt himself to a new life.
"We lose an experienced top player like Juan, but we bring in a young player with great potential. Willian did that transition from his previous world to the top world of football. Hopefully, if Salah comes, he can do the same. We are ready to help, we are ready to support."
Mata was a failure under Mourinho and only managed two assists in 13 matches for Chelsea this season; he had been Chelsea's MVP for the two prior seasons. With Salah, Mourinho gets a young player that is still developing and can mold to his tactics; Mata was entering his prime and already had a modus operandi.
Is the signing of Salah a good move for Mourinho?