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Finding himself on the fringes of Jose Mourinho’s plans at Chelsea, tricky winger Mohamed Salah could very well be on the brink of a loan move to Everton in the next few weeks.
Originally signed from FC Basel during last season’s January transfer window, he added yet more depth to an already bloated squad, but even back then it was difficult to envisage he’d get much first-team game time at Roman Abramovich’s club.
And so it came to pass as the Egypt international star made a mere six league appearances for the club, a real waste of his talents, especially after seeing what he was capable of when with Die Rotblau on the domestic and European fronts.
Now rumours are starting to swirl around that he, like a whole host of other Blues squad members, could be set for a spell on loan elsewhere.
In fact, there are 26 Chelsea players plying their trade on loan right now, which is a real eye-opener as to just how much pulling power they have and it speaks volumes about their strength in depth – something which should see them dominate on every level for quite some time to come.
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However, Chelsea’s loss looks set to be Everton’s gain as he’s been linked with a move to Goodison Park according to reports from the Mirror. And while there are certain complications regarding Christian Atsu that need to be overcome, it’s definitely not beyond the realms of possibility that we could see the young attacking midfielder swap places to come in as a new catalyst for The Toffees.
But questions about his suitability to the team remain. And there are doubtless lots of fans wondering: ‘Would he be worth the risk?’
In a word, yes. The 22-year-old would definitely be worth the risk, and his style of play would most certainly fit into their philosophy. Having lit up the Europa League a few seasons ago, the proof is there that he can be a real handful for defenders to deal with. Even back then, he had already proven himself against Premier League opposition as both Tottenham Hotspur and, indeed Chelsea can attest to.
As reported by Squawka, it’s unsure whether or not Martinez will change his mind over the Salah-Atsu swap, but there is still plenty of time for an arrangement to be made and it’s certainly one that The Toffees would be foolish not so pursue as much as they possibly can.
And despite his lack of minutes under Mourinho, he’s made an impact in the games he has featured in. In his half a dozen appearances for the club in the 2013/14 season, Salah nabbed two goals and an assist, so his record is actually quite good at this level. And with Atsu not high up the pecking order at Everton, Chelsea won’t want to see any of their players stagnate, so this is a deal that could realistically happen as it benefits both clubs.
Not only this but Salah could be eligible to play in Europe for Everton is they sign him in January.
With a second squad deadline approaching in February, they could add him to their roster, a move that would definitely strengthen their position beyond the group phase. And with his experience of playing in Europe’s “second-tier” tournament, the omens of a first European trophy in 30 years would be much improved.
Do you think Salah would be a good investment? Could he help strengthen their Europa League bid?