Roma confirms signing of Mohamed Salah from Chelsea on season-long loan with option to purchase

An Egyptian pharaoh is heading to the Roman Empire.

AS Roma completed the signing of Mohamed Salah on Thursday, agreeing to terms with Chelsea for the season-long loan of the 23-year-old forward. The agreement also includes an option for the Italian club to purchase Salah at any point during the season.

Salah, who arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2014, was the first Egyptian to play for Chelsea and will be only the second Egyptian to feature at Roma after Mido moved to the Stadio Olimpico in 2004.

"I think Roma are one of the biggest clubs in the world and I'm happy to be in this team," Salah told Roma TV. "I think everybody here has ambition and everybody wants to win the title. Everybody will give their best to make the fans happy."

Last season saw Salah join Fiorentina in February on a loan until the end of the campaign after he struggled to earn playing time under Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. He then went on to tally six goals and three assists through 16 Serie A appearances, regularly producing astounding performances in which his jaw-dropping pace allowed him to leave opposing defenders for dead.

The Egyptian's exploits also helped Fiorentina reach the semifinals of the Europa League.

Any hope of Salah remaining at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, however, was shot down in early July, when Fiorentina announced that the player had rejected an improved offer, one that club director Vincenzo Guerini described as "insane."

At Roma, Salah will wear a shirt number is nearer to what we wore at Chelsea than at Fiorentina ...

... and he already appears to be settling in quite nicely with the likes of Francesco Totti and, arguably, Wojciech Szczesny.