Mohamed Salah linked with nonsensical return to Chelsea

Mohamed Salah being linked with a move away from Liverpool is nothing new.

Ever since the Egyptian's astonishing first season at Anfield in 2017/18, the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona have held a reported interest in luring him away from England.

Recently, it's been claimed that he fancies a new challenge after four seasons of scoring for fun in the Premier League. We've heard that he's fallen out with Sadio Mane and doesn't particularly get on with Jurgen Klopp, and while most of that should be taken with a strong pinch of salt, an exit from Anfield doesn't seem entirely out of the picture in the near future.

Chelsea, though? That's a new one...

Sport Bild's Christian Falk, clad in a Union Jack suit, is claiming that Thomas Tuchel has added him to a shortlist of summer targets, and is one of three priority options alongside Erling Haaland and Romelu Lukaku.

Just take a second to breathe that in, then we'll move on.

Ready? OK, let's go.

Now it's not abundantly clear if Falk is trying to say that Chelsea see Salah as an alternative to the two target men, or if they want him in addition to those two.

But if we take what he is saying as true, and we assume Chelsea don't have upwards of £400m in the bank to spend on new forwards, then we're left with the question of why on earth Thomas Tuchel seems to think Salah is a viable plan B to Erling Haaland.

Not that Salah isn't a good player - clearly he is very, very good, and still has another season or three left at the top of his game - but he also isn't a striker. Liverpool have tried him there a few times and it has very rarely worked. He's a right winger, and does his best work coming off the flank onto his favoured left foot.

All of this is before we even consider the financial logic (or lack thereof) in the deal. Salah's contract runs until 2023, and he's currently the Premier League's top scorer. Liverpool aren't selling him for anything less than £100m - so why would Chelsea pay that for a soon-to-be 29-year-old who doesn't actually fit the bill for what they need?

From Chelsea's perspective, it makes no sense. From Salah's perspective - a player who has shown fierce loyalty to Liverpool and has hinted at an eventual move to La Liga in the past - it makes equally little sense.

Wouldn't be betting on this one.