Sunday 13 May 2018 13:46, UK
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah says he always wanted to return to the Premier League to prove he could be a success to those who doubted him.
The 25-year-old, who has already won the Football Writers' Player of the Year award and the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year award, has also been named the Premier League Player of the Season.
The Eygpt international has enjoyed a remarkable debut campaign at Anfield, scoring 42 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions with two games left to play.
Salah signed for Chelsea in 2014 but only made 13 appearances in two years for the Blues before moving to Italy.
He says he always had the intention of returning to England to prove a point during the two seasons he spent with Fiorentina and AS Roma in Serie A.
He told Sky Sports News: "It was always on my mind to perform the best I can. I had two great seasons in Rome but it was always in my mind to come back to the Premier League to show the people who said I wasn't a success the first time. It was always in my mind to become a success in the Premier League."
Salah, who is the first African to be named the Premier League Player of the Season, credited the influence of Jurgen Klopp on his career both on and off the field.
He continued: "I'm very happy. It's an honour to win this award especially for Africa and Arab people. I'm very happy and very proud. I hope it's not the last.
"Before everything, [me and Jurgen Klopp] are friends. He has helped me a lot to do what I am doing now. Outside the field I have to thank him a lot for everything he has done this year.
"I really, really respect him a lot. I'm sure we can do something special for the club this year to end."
