- Chelsea wanted Liverpool duo
- Kept tabs on Salah and Van Dijk situation
- Failed to sign them because of contract extension
In the high-stakes world of Premier League recruitment, timing is everything. Yet, throughout much of last season, Liverpool appeared to be playing a dangerous game of “contract chicken” with the two players who have served as the undisputed pillars of the club’s modern era.
By the time the Anfield hierarchy sat down to get serious, Mohamed Salaha and Virgil van Dijk were already staring at the exit door, with just months left on their deals and the clubs around Europe beginning to circle.
It was a period of uncharacteristic turbulence for a club that usually prides itself on “getting things done” behind closed doors. Instead, the friction became public.
We all remember the Egyptian King’s uncharacteristic outburst earlier in the campaign, a moment that laid bare the frustrations of a player who felt his legendary status wasn’t being reflected in the club’s urgency.
For the first time in years, the “mentality monsters” looked vulnerable and Chelsea were among those ready to pounce.
The London club, under their scattergun but opportunistic new regime, reportedly saw a golden chance to inject some much-needed winning DNA into their youthful project at Stamford Bridge.
To Chelsea, the logic was simple: why spend £100m on a prospect when you could lure the Premier League’s most consistent goalscorer and its greatest ever defender on a cut-price raid?
But while the Blues were busy checking the logistics of a double-raid, Liverpool’s late-night negotiation sessions finally began to bear fruit.
The breakthrough for Van Dijk in April 2025 provided the relief the supporters had been desperate for, but as we move toward the final weeks of the 2026 campaign, the Salah situation has taken a different turn.
With the legendary forward now confirmed to be departing this summer, many will look back at Chelsea’s failed pursuit as a massive “what if.”
Had the Blues been slightly more aggressive when Salah’s relationship with the board was at its lowest ebb, the Egyptian might have been wearing blue for today’s run-in.
Instead, Liverpool secured his final year of brilliance, proving that while they left it late perhaps too late for some they at least ensured the Chelsea raid remained nothing more than a Stamford Bridge pipe dream.
Chelsea wanted to sign Liverpool duo
Chelsea have had a youngsters-only transfer strategy for the last three years, but they were ready to break it last summer. The Blues were interested in signing the Reds duo, who were heading towards the end of their contracts at Anfield.
Sky Sports chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol spoke about Salah and Van Dijk revealing the London side tried to sign them before they agreed new deals at Anfield. He said:
“Chelsea will sign more experienced players this summer, to be fair to them, they have tried before, they looked into signing [Virgil] van Dijk and also a Mo Salah return before he signed his new deal at Liverpool.”
Salah is set to leave at the end of the season, while Van Dijk has another season under at Anfield.
Will Mohamed Salah head to Chelsea this summer?
Chelsea will be free to explore a move for Mohamed Salah once again, as the winger will be a free agent in the summer. The Egyptian has announced that he will be cutting short his contract at Liverpool and leave at the end of the season.
Muhammad Murad, the media coordinator for the Egyptian national team, hinted that the winger has picked his new club, adding that he was unlikely to join a Saudi Pro League side. He told Four Four Two this week:
“There are news stories being written about him having offers from Italy and France and other big teams in the world – this is, of course, true, he is a big star and would be a big addition to any team. Whichever team Salah picks, we will support him – he [also] has offers from Saudi… I think in a few days he will announce his next destination.”
It looks highly unlikely that Salah will be heading back to Chelsea. However, if he wants to prove Arne Slot wrong and show that he still has a lot to offer in the top flight, there is no better destination than Stamford Bridge, as he would also be proving a point to those who doubted him during his first stint.
