Drogba urged Salah to make 'selfish' Chelsea return during 2021 Liverpool contract standoff

Didier Drogba once urged Mohamed Salah to abandon his Liverpool contract negotiations and return to Chelsea, describing the advice as a “selfish” take on what would benefit the Blues rather than the player himself. The comments resurfaced this week as Salah, now 33 and without a club following his acrimonious departure from Anfield, weighs up his next move.

Speaking on Al-Axis TV in 2021, during a prolonged standoff between Salah and Liverpool over a new contract, the Ivorian Chelsea legend said: “If I am selfish, I will tell Salah to leave Liverpool and return to Chelsea. My opinion is that Salah will remain the best, no matter if he continues at Liverpool or if he moves. Any other team would perform better because he understands what he is doing, is good at scoring and creating goals, and only needs the confidence of the coach.”

Drogba added: “I do not know what his decision would be. This is his decision alone and his future, but wherever he goes, I will be one of his fans.”

Salah ultimately rejected the Chelsea overture — implicit or otherwise — and signed a new deal at Liverpool, going on to remain one of the Premier League’s most prolific forwards for several more seasons. His time at Stamford Bridge, which preceded stints at Fiorentina, Roma and then Liverpool, had been largely underwhelming.

The Egyptian’s final season at Anfield proved far more turbulent. He fell out publicly with manager Arne Slot after being dropped, claiming he had been “thrown under the bus” — comments that led to him being left out of a Champions League squad before being reintegrated. Slot has since been dismissed by Liverpool, with the club citing a desire to move towards a more aggressive, high-energy style of play.

That shift aligns with a social media post Salah made last month calling for a return to the “heavy metal football” associated with Jurgen Klopp’s tenure. With Andoni Iraola — who guided Bournemouth to successive top-half Premier League finishes playing an attacking, pressing brand of football — now installed as Slot’s replacement, there is speculation Salah could be open to returning to Anfield.

For now, Salah’s attention is on the 2026 World Cup, where Egypt open their campaign against Belgium. His club future, whether at Liverpool, in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, or elsewhere, remains unresolved.