Remember the summer of 2017? Liverpool was buzzing, but also a little antsy. Jürgen Klopp was two years into his Anfield tenure, and the team was playing exciting football, yet still lacked that consistent, clinical edge. The whispers around Melwood were about who would be the next big attacking signing. And according to Gab Marcotti, a name we now associate with greatness wasn't even at the top of Klopp's list. That's right, Mohamed Salah, the man who would shatter records and deliver trophies, was initially a tough sell.
Klopp, Marcotti revealed on *The Gab and Juls Show*, had his sights set on Julian Brandt, then a promising winger at Bayer Leverkusen. Brandt was younger, a different profile, perhaps more aligned with the traditional "Klopp player" mold – high work rate, good pressing. Salah, meanwhile, was coming off a stellar season at Roma, where he bagged 19 goals and 15 assists in all competitions. But the memory of his underwhelming Chelsea stint, where he managed just two goals in 19 appearances, lingered for some. The scouting department, however, was relentless. They saw something others missed, compiling reams of data, video analysis, and performance metrics that painted a compelling picture of Salah's evolution.
This wasn't just a hunch; it was a deep dive into advanced metrics. Liverpool's analytics team, led by Michael Edwards, pushed hard. They showed how Salah's underlying numbers at Roma were elite, not just for goals and assists, but for touches in the box, progressive carries, and expected goals (xG). His pace and directness were undeniable. The scouts had been tracking him since his Basel days, long before his move to Stamford Bridge. They understood the context of his Chelsea struggle – a young player in a new league, under a manager (Jose Mourinho) who perhaps didn't fully utilize his strengths. The argument was clear: Salah was a different player now, matured, more confident, and ready to explode.
Think about it: Liverpool eventually shelled out £34 million for Salah. That same summer, Manchester City signed Bernardo Silva for £43 million and Chelsea brought in Alvaro Morata for £60 million. Salah's fee, in hindsight, looks like one of the biggest bargains in Premier League history. He hit the ground running, scoring on his debut against Watford in a thrilling 3-3 draw on August 12, 2017. By the end of his first season, he’d smashed the Premier League record for most goals in a 38-game season with 32, earning him the Golden Boot and the PFA Player of the Year award. That initial season alone validated every ounce of conviction from Liverpool's recruitment team.
Klopp, to his immense credit, listened. He absorbed the data, reviewed the analysis, and ultimately put his faith in his scouting department. It’s a testament to the collaborative structure Liverpool built under Edwards. This wasn't a manager dictating terms; it was a strategic partnership. And it paid off in spades. Salah has since scored 211 goals in 349 appearances for the Reds, winning every major trophy available, including the 2019 Champions League and the 2020 Premier League title. He’s been a consistent force, a top scorer, and a global icon.
Here’s the thing: while Brandt went on to have a respectable career, currently with Borussia Dortmund, he never reached the stratospheric heights of Salah. This whole saga is a prime example of why modern football clubs need to integrate cutting-edge data analysis with traditional scouting. Relying solely on a manager's eye, or historical bias, can lead to missed opportunities. My hot take? There are still too many clubs in Europe who let ego or outdated methods dictate transfers, and they're consistently leaving generational talent on the table. Liverpool’s success with Salah wasn't luck; it was meticulous planning and a willingness to be convinced by the numbers.
Salah will score 25+ goals again next season, proving once more that he's still got plenty left in the tank.