Viral sensation 'Salt Bae' mixes it up with football's finest

Danny Welbeck's homage to the 'Salt Bae' meme in Arsenal's 5-0 drubbing of Southampton in the FA Cup is not the first time the viral sensation has crossed over into the world of football.

Nusret Gökçe, nicknamed 'Salt Bae', (left) with Arsenal star Mesut Ozil Source: Instagram

Turkish chef and restauranteur Nusret Gökçe became an internet phenomenon after videos of his flamboyant skills in the kitchen began to circulate online earning him the nickname 'Salt Bae'.

Like with all viral trends it didn't take long for the sports world to catch on and Welbeck's impression of 2017's biggest meme to date introduced Gökçe’s signature move to a whole new fan base.

However, a quick search through the chef's Instagram account reveals the world's biggest football stars knew about 'Salt Bae' long before he went viral.

Former Arsenal legend Robin Van Persie, who now plays for Turkish club Fenerbahçe

Former Brazil and Real Madrid great Roberto Carlos

Arsenal star Mesut Ozil

Barcelona's Arda Turan

Brazil and Barcelona great Ronaldinho

Dutch legend and former Juventus star Edgar Davids

Bayern Munich and Germany star Manuel Neuer

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba

Legendary coach Fabio Capello

His football connections even include the sport's top brass like former FIFA boss Sepp Blatter

Gökçe has also shared his cooking skills with former Chelsea striker Demba Ba and Fernabache marksman Moussa Sow.

Ba capped off his bromance with the famous chef by having a bit of a sing-a-long.

Maybe Gökçe’s football superstar friends can help him get his skills on the pitch as silky smooth as his ability in the kitchen.