Jose Mourinho has been accused of overlooking Mohamed Salah during their time together at Chelsea.
The Egypt international, now at Liverpool and one of the best players in the world, will no doubt always haunt Chelsea as one that got away from them when he was still a youngster.
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Salah barely got a look-in during a brief stint at Stamford Bridge, and it’s surprising that Mourinho snubbed him when he was supposedly very impressive in training, according to Filipe Luis.
Speaking to the Guardian, the Brazilian reflected on his time at Chelsea, where he also found it hard to get into Mourinho’s first-team plans.
He admits to being baffled by Salah’s exclusion as well, as he insists the Reds forward looked like Lionel Messi in training even back then.
“It might look like we fell out but I admire him (Mourinho). I won the league with him. But he didn’t get the best out of me, just as he didn’t with Salah,” Luis said.
“When he went Fiorentina, I said: ‘Why are you going, Momo? This is Chelsea.’ And he said: ‘I need to play.’ I thought: ‘This kid’s good.’
“He never went for money or to win more; he went to show he could play. In training he was like Messi. Really, like Messi. Ask anyone.”
Liverpool fans will be glad Mourinho failed to notice Salah’s potential, as it meant he eventually ended up at Anfield after a spell in Serie A with Roma.
Salah has been a star performer for Jurgen Klopp’s side, helping them win the Premier League and Champions League in the last two seasons.