Sam Allardyce praises Liverpool icon Mohamed Salah after claiming he was "absolutely rubbish" at Chelsea

Former Bolton and England boss Sam Allardyce has revealed that he did not rate Liverpool star Mohamed Salah during his spell at Chelsea - and has praised his transformation at Anfield.

Salah moved to Liverpool in the summer of 2017, and has scored over 175 goals during his time at the club.

The Egypt international has won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award twice, scooped up three Golden Boots, and won seven trophies at Anfield.

Those trophies include a maiden Premier League and Champions League crown, won in 2020 and 2019 respectively.

But it wasn't plain sailing for Salah to get to the point, as he struggled to make his mark at Chelsea after signing from Basel in 2014.

He made just 13 appearances for the Blues across two years, spending a period of that time on loan at Fiorentina.

He took his game to a new level in Italy after joining Roma on a permanent deal in 2016, and 15 Serie A goals in his first season in Rome attracted the attention of Liverpool.

Now, Allardyce has praised the Egyptian winger for how he has developed since his spell at Chelsea.

Allardyce on Salah

Speaking on his podcast, No Tippy Tappy Football, the ex-Bolton boss explained: "Forwards who come to the Premier League, in that first year they find it the hardest to be successful.

"We talk about Mo Salah and what a player he is. He was absolutely rubbish at Chelsea, and they got rid of him because he couldn't score a goal.

"You look at him then and you go, 'No', but he's come back with a vengeance."

Last year, Salah explained why he knew he had to leave Stamford Bridge in 2016.

"It was so tough for me, mentally," he told GQ Magazine. "I couldn't handle the pressure I had from the media, coming from outside.

"I was not playing that much. I felt, 'No, I need to go'.

"You have two choices: To tell the people that they are right to put you on a bench, or to prove them wrong."

It is fair to say that Salah comprehensively achieved the latter choice.