Mohamed Salah Rejected Real Madrid in 2018 to Stay at Liverpool, Says Ex-Egypt Coach Hany Ramzy

Mohamed Salah, reportedly, rejected an offer from Real Madrid to remain at Liverpool in 2018, according to former Egypt national team assistant coach and footballer Hany Ramzy. Salah, who joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017, has enjoyed a great amount of success in his three seasons at the club – the third of which could still see Liverpool lift their first English Premier League title in 30 years. Salah also lifted the prestigious Champions League trophy with the Merseyside club last season.  But according to Ramzy, the Spanish giants had made a ‘really good’ offer in 2018 hoping to lure the Egyptian into Santiago Bernabeu but Salah had decided that he was happy on Merseyside. Jadon Sancho Urged to Snub Manchester United for Liverpool by Former Reds Defender Glen Johnson.

“When I was working with Hector Cuper, we had a training camp in Switzerland (in March 2018). I was talking to Salah and he told me that Real Madrid had sent him an offer,” Ramzy told OnTime Sports. “The offer was really good, but Salah discussed it with me and Mr Cuper, and he decided to stay with Liverpool because he was comfortable there.” Manchester United Legend Eric Cantona Could Have Played for Liverpool, Reveals Former Reds Manager Graeme Souness.

The offer came months before Liverpool faced Real Madrid in the 2018 Champions League final in Kyiv with the Los Blancos thrashing Liverpool 3-1 to lift their 13th European continental title. The final was, however, overshadowed by the injury of Salah who had to be hauled off the field following a challenge from Sergio Ramos that resulted in a dislocated shoulder. Karim Benzema opened the scoring before Gareth Bale netted a double from the bench to seal the win.

Recently, Juventus and former Italy centre-back Giorgio Chiellini said that the challenge by Ramos on Salah was a “masterstroke” and eventually proved to be the difference in the game with Liverpool unable to orchestrate attacks without their Egyptian king. But despite the shoulder dislocation, Salah was named in Egypt’s World Cup squad and scored their only goal in the tournament.

Salah is also on course into becoming the first the Egyptian to win the Premier League title with Liverpool already 30+ points ahead in the league table. Salah and his teammates will be anxiously waiting for the season to resume at the earliest.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 17, 2020 02:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).