FIORENTINA HAVE ANNOUNCED they are willing to take legal action against Mohamed Salah over his refusal to stay at the Artemio Franchi.
The Viola signed the Egypt international on loan from Chelsea in January and it was reported at the time that the Serie A side retained the option to extend the agreement for another year and buy the forward for an agreed fee at the end of the 2015-16 season.
However, Salah and his agent maintain that the 23-year-old did not sign any contact committing himself to Fiorentina beyond 30 June. Consequently, the Viola — who also claim to have offered Salah a pay rise to stay in Florence — are now ready to settle the matter in the courts.
The club released this statement on their official website:
“Through his representative, the player has rejected our improved contract offer and expressed his desire to join another club. He has also informed us that he does not intend to respond to our request for him to report back for pre-season training. As a result of the above, we have placed the matter in the hands of our lawyers so that they may assess all possible courses of action in order to protect the club’s rights.”
However, Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas claimed before Fiorentina’s public announcement that Salah will not be at the Franchi next season — no matter what happens.
“There is a document that proves that Salah will decide his own future,” he told Radio Bruno Toscano. “The contract with Fiorentina expires on 30 June. Now the boy will return to Chelsea and await other offers.
“Salah will not remain with the Viola. All of the offers that the club made him have been rejected. The situation has been clear since February. Fiorentina knew the facts. They are a great club and they know what it means to sign a contract.”
Abbas added that he know expects his client’s future to be resolved in the coming days — and that the winger could end up lining up for another Serie A side next season.
“I can only say that he belongs to Chelsea but that he’s liked by Italian clubs, among others,” the agent added. “Some of these clubs have shown great interest him. There will be news in the coming days.
“Mohamed is grateful to the city of Florence for the way in which they treated him, but I cannot speak for him: just that there will be a chance to explain everything.”
