Mohamed Salah “is much happier at Roma than Fiorentina and feels at home in Italy,” said his father.
The Egypt international had spent six months in Florence, but refused to extend the loan spell from Chelsea, sparking a legal battle that is still awaiting FIFA arbitration.
“Mohamed is certainly much happier at Roma than Fiorentina,” his father Ghaly told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“He is playing for a team that wants to win titles, all his teammates care for him, especially Radja Nainggolan and Francesco Totti.
Mohamed Salah “is much happier at Roma than Fiorentina and feels at home in Italy,” said his father.
The Egypt international had spent six months in Florence, but refused to extend the loan spell from Chelsea, sparking a legal battle that is still awaiting FIFA arbitration.
“Mohamed is certainly much happier at Roma than Fiorentina,” his father Ghaly told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“He is playing for a team that wants to win titles, all his teammates care for him, especially Radja Nainggolan and Francesco Totti.
“The Giallorossi want to win the Scudetto, there’s a lot of competition and the rapport between Mohamed and Rudi Garcia is more than excellent.
“He was scared to go to Florence in January, as it was like a new world for him, but I told him it was just six months and it’d certainly be better than spending that time on the bench at Chelsea.
“It was the right decision, as Mohamed made an exceptional first impression in Italy. When he goes out, everyone crowds around to congratulate him. The Italians are a friendly people with characteristics similar to the Egyptians.
“Plus there are many Egyptians living in Italy, so Mohamed feels at home.”
There was a huge scare during last week’s Rome Derby, as a Senad Lulic tackle saw Salah badly sprain his ankle.
“That was one of the worst moments of my life,” confessed Ghaly. “We were so scared and didn’t know what to do. The anxiety dragged on until the moment he told his sister that it wasn’t fractured.
“He said he’ll be back in a month, even if the doctors advised him not to rush the comeback. He was supposed to come back to Egypt this week, but unfortunately the injury ruled that out.”
Salah’s father also revealed the road to success, overcoming obstacles as a teenager.
“I remember at the start of his career with the Al Muqauelon youth team. One day he told me there was a Coach who told him off and he wanted to leave.
“At the time Al Ahly and Al Zamalek were very interested in signing him, but I told Mohamed he had to stay at Muquauelon and prove this Coach he’d become the most important player in the squad. Don’t think about going to another Egyptian club, but to Europe.
“That is precisely what happened and now we can see what he’s doing in Europe. As a child he was passionate about football. The turning point came when he transferred to Cairo at the age of 14.
“It was Heaven and Hell at the same time. My son had to leave home in Baison at 9am to train in Cairo, then return at 9pm or later. I was stunned by his insistence on living this daily lifestyle.
“He made his senior debut on May 3 2010, then received an offer from Basel and in my view it was better than staying in Egypt.”