Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah Al Mokawloon’s first club reacted furiously to Todd Boehly’s claim that the Reds’ star is a product of the Blues’ academy.
What did Todd Boehly say?
Mohamed Salah did spend time at Stamford Bridge between 2014 and 2016, but only after working in the youth ranks in his homeland and breaking into the European scene at FC Basel. Chelsea’s new owner Todd Boehly doesn’t seem to be aware of this fact and recently said they have one of the best academies in the world. According to Boehly, if they look at what their academy has developed, their academy is Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne. Most recently Trevoh Chalobah, Mason Mount, Reece James, Tammy Abraham.
What did Mohamed Adel Fathi say?
Understandably, Al Mokawloon – who handed his senior debut to Mohamed – disregarded Todd’s comments, with Mohamed Adel Fathi, who sits on the club’s board of directors, responding on social media that what the new Blues owner was saying showed a lack of understanding. According to Adel Fathi, Egypt international Mohamed Salah is a source of pride for the Al Mokawloon club and Egyptian and Arab football, and they are honored to have him as one of their sons. Adel Fathi says the whole world knows Mohamed’s career and how he started with them, but it seems that the Chelsea owner is the only person in the world who doesn’t know this information.
A little about Mohamed Salah
The Egypt international made 44 appearances for Al Mokawloon over three seasons, with 12 goals recorded during that time.
Mohamed Salah spent 18 months in Switzerland before signing with the Blues in January 2014. The Egyptian striker made just 19 appearances for the Blues and his reputation rebuilt in Italy before he returned to English football at Liverpool in 2017 where the player became an icon for the club and won the Premier League, Champions League and Golden Boot.
Mohamed Salah has endured a slow start to the 2022-23 campaign but, without entering into a new contract with the Reds during the summer, will be eager to rediscover his spark when club football resumes after the international hiatus.