Chelsea have completed the signing of Egypt international winger Mohamed Salah from Swiss Super League giants FC Basel, according to the club’s official website, www.chelseafc.com.
Salah, 21, caught the eye of Blues manager Jose Mourinho after scoring in both group matches against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League.
The highly-rated 21-year-old was expected to sign for Liverpool during the January transfer window but has instead put pen to paper on a five-and-a-half-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
“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,” said Mourinho on Friday.
“He’s young, he’s fast, he’s creative, he’s enthusiastic. When we analysed 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 think with him and André Schürrle, Eden Hazard, Oscar and Willian we will be fine. We lose an experienced top player like Juan Mata 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. He has some experience in Europe, the Europa League, Champions League, so he’s not a naive boy arriving in the jungle.
“Hopefully he comes and hopefully with the talented players we have around in the same positions we all can develop together.”
Salah, who has scored three goals in four career matches against Chelsea, has been assigned the No. 15 shirt.
Chelsea (1/5); West Ham (18/1); Draw (6/1)
Newcastle reject Cabaye bid from PSG
Newcastle United have rejected a £14million bid from French champions Paris Saint-Germain for Yohan Cabaye, according to Sky Sports.
Cabaye, valued at over £20 million by the Tynesiders, and Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic are being targeted by PSG this month, as confirmed by manager Laurent Blanc earlier this week.
The 28-year-old France international, whose current contract at St James’ Park expires in the summer of 2016, joined the Magpies from Lille OSC for an undisclosed fee in 2011 and has gone on to tally 18 goals and 10 assists in 93 appearances in all competitions for the club.
On the eve of the Magpies’ English Premier League opener against Manchester City, Arsenal submitted a £10 million offer for Cabaye.
The offer was immediately rejected and the former Lille midfielder was kept out of the matchday squad after Alan Pardew confirmed the player had “his head turned by [the] bid.”
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