Liverpool are interested in signing Mohamed Salah - where have we heard that before?

Reports suggest the Jurgen Klopp has had a £28 million bid for the Egyptian rejected, with Roma looking for around £40 million for the winger - a fee that would be a club record signing for Liverpool.

But, cast your mind back three-and-a-half years, and Liverpool were being linked with the same transfer.

In January 2014, the Reds were on the verge of signing a 21-year-old Salah for just £11 million from Swiss side Basel. However, just as Salah looked set to sign his contract on Merseyside, Jose Mourinho interfered.

The then Chelsea boss called Salah and persuaded him to move to Stamford Bridge, telling him to reject Liverpool.

Salah listened but is still probably wishing he didn’t.

He made just 13 league appearances during his 12 months in west London, before moving to Fiorentina on loan.

Another loan spell at Roma followed during the 2015/16 season, where he impressed with 14 league goals. Those performances saw him move permanently from Chelsea to Roma for a reported €15 million last summer.

And Salah has just enjoyed the finest campaign of his career. He scored 19 goals in all competitions for Roma and helped them finish second in Serie A, just four points behind Juventus.

And now, Salah has a second opportunity to join Liverpool.

While Liverpool fans will no doubt be excited about the prospect of the 24-year-old signing, you can understand if they were a little apprehensive considering that he had previously turned them down for Chelsea.

But what did he have to say about Liverpool and why did he choose Chelsea over them?

What Salah said about Liverpool

Well, speaking to MBC Masr in April 2016, Salah explained his decision back in 2014.

“Liverpool had wanted me for a number of months," he said.

"They had opened talks in October 2013. Negotiations took a long time, because Basel rejected more than one offer. They felt the transfer fee was not that high. I was waiting for Liverpool because I really like Liverpool. I was eager to join them.

“But then I received a phone call from Mourinho and that changed everything. He explained the situation to me and told me that he needed me at Chelsea. That was one of the main reasons why I joined Chelsea.

“Mourinho told me that he thought I was a good player and that he wanted me to pick Chelsea.”

With Liverpool seemingly close to striking a deal for Salah once again, they will just be hoping Mourinho doesn’t haunt them again and sign Salah for Manchester United. Although considering he barely played him at Chelsea, that seems highly unlikely.