Chelsea complete Mohamed Salah permanent transfer to Roma

Chelsea have completed the transfer of Mohamed Salah to Roma, the Premier League club have confirmed. The Serie A giants have activated an option to secure the services of the 24-year-old winger on permanent basis after he impressed during his loan spell at the Stadio Olimpico last term, scoring 15 goals and providing nine assists in 42 appearances for the club.

The Blues signed Salah in January 2014 after he impressed former manager Jose Mourinho during his time at Basel, paying around £11m ($14.6m) to the Swiss side to beat the likes of Liverpool for his signature. However, the Egyptian winger failed to convince the Portuguese boss to deserve a regular place in his plans and only a year after was sent on loan to Fiorentina as part the deal that saw Juan Cuadrado move in the opposite direction.

Salah replicated his best form at the Viola and was expected to stay at the Stadio Artemio Franchi for the 2015-2016 campaign. However, he refused that option to move to Roma instead in a controversial deal.

In August last year Chelsea confirmed an agreement to loan him to the Serie A side, with the Italians keeping an option to make the move permanent.

"Chelsea Football Club has agreed terms with AS Roma for the season-long loan of Mohamed Salah," the club revealed on their official website. "The winger will spend the 2015-16 campaign on loan at the Stadio Olimpico and the agreement includes an option to purchase at any point during the season."

At the time Salah's agent suggested that Roma's option to buy his client was eventually mandatory for the Serie A side, while adding that the fee would be higher than the €21m reported by some media outlets.

When asked if a €2m loan move, with a €21m option to make the move permanent, was the correct fee, Ramy Abbas Issa responded: "No, the fee would be higher than that. Furthermore, Salah will only accept a loan where the club has an obligation to buy him, not an 'option' to buy him."

One way or another nobody expect him to return to Chelsea for the new campaign and the Blues have now confirmed his permanent transfer to Roma through and official statement.

"Mohamed Salah has completed a permanent transfer to Italian club Roma," the Blues confirmed. "The Egyptian winger spent last season on loan at the Serie A side and impressed as they finished third. Chelsea Football Club thanks Mohamed for his service and wishes him well for the future."