Jose Mourinho has rejected claims that he mismanaged the talents of a young Mohamed Salah at Chelsea, affirming that he is one of the Liverpool star's most ardent admirers.
Salah was signed by Mourinho's Chelsea from Basel at the tender age of 21, after impressing as a youngster in the Swiss club.
His time at Stamford Bridge, however, failed to live up to expectations, as he received only fleeting first-team opportunities under the manager before leaving the club for Roma just over 18 months later in the summer of 2015.
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Salah has since gone on to establish himself as one of the world's premier strikers, leading Liverpool to the Champions League final in 2017-18 and earning himself sixth place in the Ballon d'Or vote eventually won by Luka Modric.