Only Messi Is Faster Than Mohamed Salah, Says Fiorentina Boss
By Lou Flavius
Fiorentina Manager Vincenzo Montella seems to have struck gold since swapping Juan Cuadrado for Chelsea‘s Mohamed Salah.
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The Egyptian winger — who is currently on loan — has surprisingly lit up Serie A, while Cuadrado has been less than impressive after moving to London.
Cuadrado — so far — has failed to cement his place in the Chelsea set-up, with Brazilian Willian keeping his spot out on the right. The Colombian hasn’t adapted as quickly as expected, but he hasn’t had much of a chance to do so, given his limited minutes.
Salah, on the other hand, has hit the ground running, scoring six goals in 10 appearances for La Viola. He already endeared himself to the fans, also earning much-deserved admiration from his manager.
Only Messi is quicker than Mohamed Salah on the ball, claims Fiorentina boss http://t.co/ttR0I8nd5r https://t.co/fBg64T6o2k
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) March 20, 2015
Montella has compared the player to Barcelona star Lionel Messi, claiming that no one else is faster (than Salah) with the ball at his feet.
Can a player ask for anything else from a manager? Being mentioned in the same breath as the best player on the planet is nothing to shirk at, but is the comparison warranted? Time will tell.
"“For now, we have benefited. We knew the superb characteristics of the player, but we did not expect him to have such an impact on Italian football.”“Perhaps only Messi is faster than him with the ball at one’s feet.”-Vincenzo MontellaSource: Express"
Mohamed Salah And Mario Gomez – Credit: Andres Leonardo Stangalini (Flickr Creative Commons)
Salah has often been referred to as “The Arabian Messi.” His quick feet and skill on the ball, have been likened to that of the Argentinian ace, but Messi is obviously on another level. Salah will probably reach those heights one day, but he has a very long way to go.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho may be feeling a slight pang of regret. Seeing his player put in such brilliant performances in another uniform could have him second guessing himself. This could be Kevin De Bruyne all over again, but fortunately, Salah isn’t out the door as yet, and this loan move may benefit all parties in the long run.
Fiorentina will have the option to make the deal permanent in the summer, but Salah is still a Chelsea player. If he continues to impress, he may finally find his place in Mourinho’s team.
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“Maybe right now we have got the better deal.” Says Montella, who would waste no time handing Salah a permanent contract.
Up to this point in time, the Blues seem to have gotten the short end of the stick. Cuadrado has done nothing of note, spending more time on the bench than on the pitch.
I don’t expect him to get into the squad right now, as the Blues are in the hunt for their first Premier League title in five years, and cannot risk a chemistry upset. He will probably get his chance next season, unless of course, Salah has something to say about that.