Chelsea Icon Exposes the Shocking Truth Behind Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne's Stamford Bridge Failures
Ex-Chelsea skipper John Terry stated that both Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne weren't "prepared" to feature for the Blues during that period of their professional journeys.
De Bruyne was initially brought to west London, becoming part of Chelsea's senior squad on a permanent basis in summer 2013. Salah would follow half a year later, though by then the Belgian playmaker had already pushed for his transfer to Wolfsburg. The young Salah spent 12 months under José Mourinho's guidance before ultimately moving to Roma.
Both players would subsequently make their Premier League comeback with Manchester City and Liverpool respectively, becoming fundamental figures for the most dominant teams in the league's modern history, overwhelming all opposition—including Chelsea.
Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne for (and Against) Chelsea
Statistic | Mohamed Salah | Kevin De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
Appearances for Chelsea | 19 | 9 |
Goals for Chelsea | 2 | 0 |
Appearances vs. Chelsea | 25 | 22 |
Goals vs. Chelsea | 8 | 5 |
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt.
Nevertheless, without the benefit of looking back, there was minimal indication that either promising talent would achieve the remarkable success they've experienced during those early training sessions.
Terry served as Chelsea's captain when both players joined and wasn't completely convinced by either. "Kevin De Bruyne arrived, Mo Salah arrived, and have become absolute superstars in football, truly exceptional players. They joined at a moment when they weren't prepared for the squad," Terry shared with his former teammate John Obi Mikel on The Obi One podcast.
"They displayed glimpses of talent, but I must mention the standard that Chelsea maintained in training was as intense as I've ever experienced during our era.
"You understand, individuals joining who are genuinely skilled, seasoned players, simply not grasping the standard and struggling very rapidly. It was extremely challenging."
When De Bruyne joined, he was entering a team that had secured the club's inaugural Champions League trophy followed by a Europa League victory in 2013. Salah's opening six months in west London (2013–14) marked a rare season without trophies, yet Mourinho's squad still managed to reach the Champions League semifinals and claim third place in the Premier League.
They would cruise to the league championship the next season, though Salah departed midway through, barely giving up first position in a display of superiority that was unheard of until it became standard with the Liverpool and City teams featuring the Egyptian and De Bruyne.