Liverpool close to finalising £35m deal for AS Roma winger Mohamed Salah

Liverpool are reportedly closing in on their second signing of the summer with AS Roma's Mohamed Salah expected to join Dominic Solanke, who arrived from Chelsea in a free transfer at Anfield next season.

According to the Guardian, talks are ongoing between the Egyptian winger's representatives and the Reds with the club hoping to finalise the deal this week. Liverpool have made an improved bid of around £35m ($45m) after their initial offer of £28m was rejected by the Italian club.

If the move goes through, Salah will become Liverpool's joint record signing after the Merseyside club paid the same amount to sign Andy Carroll from Newcastle United in 2011. The Egypt international could also become Liverpool's record signing if Roma ask for additional performance-based payments.

The 24-year-old winger was linked with a move to Liverpool in 2014 but chose to move to Chelsea from then club FC Basel during the January transfer window. Salah failed to settle in the Premier League and after spending the second-half of the 2013/14 campaign and the first-half of the 2014/15 campaign at Stamford Bridge, he was loaned out to Fiorentina in February 2015 on an 18-month loan.

The Egyptian winger impressed during his stint with Fiorentina, which saw Roma make a move for him and sign him on a season-long loan before the start of the 2015/16 season with the option of making the deal permanent the following season. He joined them on a three-year contract last summer and impressed in the recently concluded campaign to help them to second place in the Serie A.

Salah scored 15 goals and provided a further 13 assists in 31 league appearances, which has attracted the interest of Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp is keen to add further speed and creativity to his attack and has identified the former Chelsea winger as the perfect candidate.