Mohamed Salah would be ‘asset’, says San Diego FC owner

ATLANTA – San Diego FC’s billionaire owner Mohamed Mansour on March 26 said his Egyptian compatriot Mohamed Salah would be an “asset”, as speculation builds over the Liverpool forward’s next club.

Salah announced on March 24 that he will leave Anfield at the end of the season after a glittering nine-year spell at Liverpool, where he has scored 255 goals and stands alongside the all-time greats.

While Saudi Arabia is thought to be the most likely destination, he could choose to follow the likes of Lionel Messi, Son Heung-min and Antoine Griezmann to the United States’ burgeoning Major League Soccer (MLS).

If he does, recent MLS expansion club San Diego have been heavily linked with Salah, not least due to deep-pocketed British-Egyptian owner Mansour.

“He’s probably one of the great players today,” Mansour said on the sidelines of the Business of Soccer summit in Atlanta.

“And any team that will get him... he will definitely be an asset.”

But he declined to answer whether he is actively trying to recruit Salah.

“Of course Mo Salah is somebody that, as an Egyptian, my origin, I’m very proud of,” he added.

“He is somebody that reached the world stage as one of the great players.

“And I think he will, if he does decide... wherever he will go, he will add a lot to that league and to that country and to that team, for sure. So he’s somebody I’m very proud of.”

Salah, 33, won two English Premier League titles along with a Champions League and other silverware with Liverpool, as well as a record-equalling four Golden Boot awards.

He was the poster boy of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool revolution at Anfield, propelling the team back to the summit of English and European football, and is undoubtedly the greatest ever player to emerge from Egypt, or arguably Africa.

Mansour told a panel discussion that the whole of Egypt comes to a halt whenever Salah plays and named the forward as his favourite footballer of all time.

But Salah has endured an uncharacteristically difficult season at Liverpool this campaign, scoring just five league goals, although that does not take away from the fact that he is a club legend.

While effusive in his praise for Salah, Mansour insisted that footballing recruitment decisions are left to San Diego’s sports director and coach.

“I let the people in charge decide,” he said.

“I just say, ‘I got this opportunity. My belief is so. You guys make the decision. Come back to me’. If you say, ‘No, he’s not (a) fit’, whoever it is, in whichever sector, then that’s it.”

Klopp, meanwhile, has also reacted to the news of Salah’s impending departure from the Reds.

He believes his former star will leave as one of the “all-time greats”, with his “unmatched numbers” likely to prove tough to top for future generations at Anfield.

“With the bigger view, it is just ridiculous. Unmatched numbers – will we be talking in 10 years and someone else has them? (Hugo) Ekitike or whoever. I think it will be really difficult (to surpass Salah),” he said.

“I think he is one of the all-time greats.”

The German added that he had spoken to Salah.

“We texted,” he said. “I really hope he enjoys the rest of the season.

“I know Mo will only enjoy it if he is winning football games and scoring.

“I hope on this last match day, you (Liverpool fans) all will have a smile on your face and just be happy and thankful that you were part of one of the most incredible careers we will ever be part of.” AFP