Salah’s arrival in Turkey
Mohamed Salah, the former Liverpool forward, is set to join Turkish club Trabzonspor. The Egypt captain arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday, where he was met by hundreds of fans at Ataturk Airport. Salah was seen wearing Trabzonspor colours and engaging with the excited crowd. The 34-year-old forward departed Liverpool at the conclusion of last season after a nine-year tenure on Merseyside.
Trabzonspor had announced on Tuesday that negotiations were underway with Salah. The club chairman, Ertugrul Dogan, indicated that they anticipated signing the player on a free transfer. Salah himself shared a video on social media, stating, “Trabzon, are you ready? I can hear you. See you very soon,” while wearing a Trabzonspor kit. After his arrival in Istanbul, Salah was scheduled for medical checks before travelling to Trabzon.
The Turkish side had teased Salah’s arrival on social media earlier, with a video showing the Pyramids next to Papara Park. This was followed by a post confirming that “negotiations had begun” between Salah and Trabzonspor, and details on how to track Salah’s flight into Istanbul were also shared. The significant fan turnout at the airport highlighted the anticipation surrounding his transfer.
Impact of the transfer
Salah’s move to Trabzonspor is considered one of the biggest transfers in Turkish football history. During his time at Liverpool, he scored 257 goals in 442 appearances. He helped Liverpool secure two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the Club World Cup, the Uefa Super Cup, the FA Cup, and two EFL Cups. Individually, he won the Premier League Golden Boot on four occasions and was named the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year three times, in 2018, 2022, and 2025.
In the 2024-25 season, Salah scored 29 Premier League goals and provided 18 assists, equalling the league record for most goal involvements in a season and setting a new record for a 38-game campaign. He was also named Premier League Player of the Season, won the Golden Boot, and the Playmaker Award that season. However, his playing time reportedly decreased in the subsequent campaign after a disagreement with former Reds head coach Arne Slot.
Trabzonspor, nicknamed the Black Sea Storm, has won seven league titles, with six of these victories occurring between 1976 and 1984. Their most recent league success came in 2022, ending a 38-year wait. The club finished third in the Super Lig last season, eight points behind champions Galatasaray, and will participate in European football next season, entering the Europa League play-offs.
The signing of Salah represents a notable shift in strategy for Trabzonspor, a club that has historically focused on developing young players. This transfer aims to boost supporter engagement, increase shirt sales, and potentially expand the club’s commercial appeal, particularly across the Middle East and among the Arab community in Trabzon. Salah joins former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe at the club.
Previous transfer discussions
Before reaching an agreement with Trabzonspor, Salah had been linked with a move to another Turkish club, Besiktas. Reports indicated that negotiations with Besiktas stalled due to financial and image-rights demands. Salah had been a free agent after leaving Liverpool, which allowed Trabzonspor to allocate more of their budget towards his wages.
Salah began his European career with Swiss side Basel in 2012, later joining Chelsea. He also had stints at Fiorentina and Roma between 2015 and 2017 before moving to Liverpool. His transfer to Trabzonspor is expected to be finalised with a signing ceremony in the Black Sea city on Thursday.
Source: bbc.com