- Roma sporting director rueful of Mohamed Salah sale
- Monchi believes Italian club could have demanded higher price
- Salah signed for Liverpool for fee that could reach £44.4m
- SEE MORE: (Video) Klopp’s dig at Andy Robertson’s crossing is gold
Roma sporting director Monchi is rueful of selling Mohamed Salah to Liverpool for what is threatening to be a bargain fee.
The Egyptian arrived from the Italian club in the summer for a price that could eventually rise to £44.4million, with doubts over his value still looming following his difficult spell with Chelsea in 2014.
He has since quashed all debate over his star quality and compatibility with the Premier League with a lightning start to his second attempt in England.
Salah’s goal in Wednesday’s 5-0 Champions League win over Porto took him to 30 for the season across all competitions – a feat only 12 other players have managed in Liverpool’s history.
With his prolific form showing no signs of easing up, Monchi has reacted to the forward’s reduced price in an otherwise inflated market.
“At the end of the day, we could reach €50m with bonuses, but at that moment we had to sell and that was an important option,” Monchi told Sky Sport Italia.
“The Neymar and Kylian Mbappe transfers changed the market, but at that moment it was necessary that we sell.
Few could have predicted just how perfect a fit Salah would prove to be in Jurgen Klopp’s system and under his footballing philosophies.
The 25-year-old has slotted in naturally to Liverpool’s interchanging attacking approach, evolving his game as a multi-faceted asset capable of not only turning provider but also serving as a central striker.
30 goals for a man labelled a winger on paper is an astonishing achievement, as evidenced by the star-studded company he finds himself among as a result.
His immediate impact on Merseyside is testament to Klopp’s place as one of world football’s most talented attacking managers.
The key test is now sustaining his world class form until the end of the season.