Mourinho reveals why Salah and De Bruyne left Chelsea
In a candid revelation, Jose Mourinho sheds light on the departures of Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne from Chelsea, attributing their exits to impatience and the desire to advance their careers.
Both players, now Premier League stars at Liverpool and Manchester City, left Stamford Bridge during Mourinho’s tenure.
The former Chelsea manager shared insights on the Obi One Podcast, stating that Salah and De Bruyne opted to leave because they were unwilling to wait for their breakthroughs at the club.
Mourinho acknowledged that while history proves their decisions were successful, the impetus behind their departures was the eagerness of young players who sought immediate opportunities.
Salah, the Egyptian international, made only 19 appearances for Chelsea before moving to Roma, while De Bruyne, the Belgian midfielder, had just nine outings before departing to Wolfsburg.
Mourinho clarified, “They left because they wanted to leave. They left because they didn’t want to wait. Sometimes kids make decisions like that because they can’t wait, or they don’t have the patience to be calm and to wait for the right moment.”
Detailing De Bruyne’s departure, Mourinho recounted a similar impatience, emphasizing how the midfielder wanted to leave after a brief spell on the bench following the European Super Cup in Prague.
Despite Mourinho’s attempts to integrate De Bruyne into the squad, the player expressed a desire to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Mourinho added, “They were just kids who couldn’t wait, and their careers say they were right, but it wasn’t down to me. Probably other guys will say I pushed them out, but not them.”
Both Salah and De Bruyne have since flourished at their respective clubs, achieving remarkable success and becoming key figures in English football.
Mourinho’s retrospective analysis provides valuable insight into the complexities of managing young talents and the challenges of retaining promising players in a competitive football landscape.
