Liverpool will be pleased Mohamed Salah arrived and not Gelson Martins

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Liverpool’s decision to sign Mohamed Salah in the summer has certainly been justified. According to the BBC Liverpool paid Roma a fee of £34 million for the Egyptian. It seemed a risky piece of business, considering Salah had struggled during his previous spell in England with Chelsea.

But it has been a runaway success. Salah has scored an incredible 37 goals in all competitions for club and country this season making that £34 million price-tag look an absolute bargain.

It was however a deal which nearly didn’t happen. After lengthy negotiations Liverpool were struggling at one point to get a deal together with the Italian side. The BBC reported that Roma wanted over £40 million for the Egyptian, a fee Liverpool were simply not prepared to pay. So the same report suggested Liverpool had moved on and were targeting Portuguese star Gelson Martins instead.

The 22-year-old had a £50 million release clause in his deal at Sporting Lisbon, but Liverpool thought they could get him for less.

In the end no such deal was necessary. Liverpool managed to negotiate a deal with Roma and, thankfully, got their man in Salah.

Martins certainly holds promise, but his season pales in significance to the one Salah has had. The 22-year-old has managed 12 goals this season in 41 appearances for the Portuguese side.

It is Martins’ best goalscoring season so far and, in the future, Liverpool might be right to make a return for the player. The Portugal talent is an incredible prospect for the future and if Liverpool can add him to their attacking arsenal fans would be in for a treat at Anfield.

But Liverpool will undoubtedly be pleased that this summer it was Salah that came to Anfield and not the Portuguese talent who has been goal-shy by comparison.