Chelsea Icon Dissects the Missteps of Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne
John Terry Reflects on Salah and De Bruyne’s Early Chelsea Days
Former Chelsea skipper John Terry expressed his belief that neither Mohamed Salah nor Kevin De Bruyne were adequately prepared to join the club when they first arrived.
Circumstances of Arrival
De Bruyne was the first to join Chelsea’s senior squad, signing on permanently in the summer of 2013. Salah followed six months later, but by then, De Bruyne had already secured a transfer to Wolfsburg. Salah’s time under manager José Mourinho was short-lived, lasting just 12 months before he made his move to Roma.
Both players would eventually make their way back to the Premier League, representing Manchester City and Liverpool. There, they solidified their status as key players for two of the league’s most successful clubs in recent years, consistently outperforming Chelsea.
Salah and De Bruyne: Pros and Cons for Chelsea
Player Comparison Table
| Statistic | Mohamed Salah | Kevin De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances for Chelsea | 19 | 9 |
| Goals for Chelsea | 2 | 0 |
| Appearances against Chelsea | 25 | 22 |
| Goals against Chelsea | 8 | 5 |
Stats via Transfermarkt
Despite their eventual success, it’s clear that early indicators did not suggest either player’s future achievements during their initial training at Chelsea. Terry, who captained the team during their arrivals, was not overly impressed. In a conversation with his former teammate John Obi Mikel on a podcast, Terry stated, “Kevin De Bruyne joined, and so did Mo Salah, both of whom have turned into world-class players. However, they came in at a time when they were not quite ready for the group.”
He further elaborated, “They demonstrated flashes of talent, but I must emphasize, the training level at Chelsea was unmatched in my experience at the time.”
Terry detailed the challenge: “People joined the squad, who were experienced and skilled; however, they struggled to acclimatize to the high demands and quickly fell by the wayside.”
Context of Their Transfers
At the time De Bruyne arrived, Chelsea had just celebrated their first Champions League victory followed by a Europa League title in 2013. Salah’s first season in Chelsea (2013-2014) was unusually devoid of major trophies, though the team managed to reach the Champions League semifinals and secured a third-place finish in the Premier League. They went on to clinch the league title the following year, although Salah’s departure halfway through the season highlighted the team’s dominance—a trend that has continued with Liverpool and Manchester City, both of which have featured Salah and De Bruyne.
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