Chelsea's Mohamed Salah (Photo: Reuters)
Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah is to leave Chelsea for the Italian Fiorentina within hours, Ahram Online has learned.
Informed sources said that he would move to Fiorentina on loan for 6 months.
The initial offer was for Salah to stay with the Italian club for one year and half, with any move after that to be decided by Fiorentina and Chelsea.
But Salah insisted that he move for only six months, and decide on his next move – to return to the Blues, stay in Fiorentina permanently, or move to somewhere else -- himself.
“Leaving Chelsea was a very difficult decision for Salah,” sources close to the negotiations told Ahram Online.
Salah has been reassured that he will be given more playing time in Fiorentina than he had in Chelsea, Ahram Online learned.
Salah is understood to have spoken with fellow countryman Ahmed Hegazy, Fiorentina’s central defender, who encouraged him to move.
Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s manager, held a last-minute meeting with Salah to advise him to stay, Ahram Online understands. But the Egyptian international insisted on leaving, as he “wants to play more, not stay on the bench.”
Fiorentina’s winger Juan Cuadrado is understood to be moving to Chelsea for a fee of around £26.1m.
Salah, 22, joined Chelsea from the Swiss Basel FC more than a year ago for about £11m.
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