A Moroccan international recounts the two years when no one wanted him

“I haven’t had a dream career like my friends Saibari and El Khannouss,” Ibrahim Salah said in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad.

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After his years of development in Belgium, his progress came to an abrupt halt. Salah found himself without a team for two seasons. An attempt to relaunch his career in England came to nothing, and the young winger had to wait before Gent finally gave him a chance in 2021.

Even then, nothing was guaranteed. He first had to impress during a trial before securing his first professional contract. What followed happened much faster: he established himself with the first team, and Rennes signed him in January 2023, just a few months after his top-flight debut.

From two years without a club to the Morocco jersey

The contrast with his difficult years is striking. At Rennes, Salah notably found himself competing with Jérémy Doku and Désiré Doué. He then continued his career between France and Switzerland, with spells at Brest and FC Basel.

The Moroccan international has now chosen to return to Belgium to relaunch his career. Basel loaned him to Antwerp, a return to the league where his professional career had truly taken off.

His decision seems to have been made quickly. Salah says he gave his agreement to the Antwerp club even before receiving a written offer.

His path therefore remains very different from those of Saibari and El Khannouss, with whom he readily compares himself. They experienced more linear progress. Salah, for his part, had to go through two years without a club before returning to the top level, playing in Ligue 1 and wearing the Morocco jersey.

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As he approaches 25, the period when no one seemed to want him is now one of the most improbable chapters of his career.