Mohamed Salah has signed a two-year contract with Trabzonspor, marking his move to Turkiye for the upcoming season. The Egypt international became a free agent following his departure from Liverpool at the conclusion of the previous campaign. He travelled to Istanbul on Wednesday to finalise his transfer and was met by numerous fans upon his arrival.
The official signing ceremony for Salah is scheduled to take place on Thursday. Salah, 34 years old, established himself as a prominent player in the Premier League during his time with Liverpool, where he secured two league titles and the Champions League, among eight major honours. He scored 257 goals in 442 appearances for the Merseyside club and is widely considered one of its greatest players.
Despite having a year remaining on his contract at Liverpool, Salah announced in March his intention to leave the club after a season in which he scored 12 goals and experienced a public disagreement with then-coach Arne Slot. Trabzonspor is a club that has won the Turkish championship seven times and finished third in the league last season.
Salah’s move to Turkiye
When Mohamed Salah’s career at Liverpool concluded, there was speculation about his next destination, with suggestions pointing towards Saudi Arabia or Major League Soccer (MLS). Even within Europe, some expected him to join one of Turkey’s larger Istanbul clubs. However, Trabzonspor was not widely considered a likely option.
This changed on Thursday when the Egyptian player agreed to a two-year contract with Trabzonspor. This move brings an unexpected, yet carefully considered, new chapter to one of the most distinguished Premier League careers of the modern era. While financial aspects are often a factor in transfers of this magnitude, the figures alone do not fully explain his decision to choose Turkey.
Saudi clubs reportedly had the financial capacity to offer more substantial contracts, and MLS presented another appealing alternative for a player with significant commercial appeal beyond football. However, remaining in Europe appears to have been a more significant consideration than securing the largest possible contract.
Trabzonspor concluded last season in third place in the Super Lig and is set to participate in the UEFA Europa League play-offs later this month. A victory would lead them to the league phase, while a defeat would still guarantee participation in the UEFA Conference League. Although the Turkish top flight is not ranked among Europe’s elite leagues, it still provides Salah with regular European competition within a demanding football environment.
For a player who contributed to Egypt’s advancement to the knockout stages of this summer’s FIFA World Cup, continuing to compete in Europe seems to have been an important element of his decision-making process.
Why Trabzonspor made sense
If Salah’s main goal was to stay in Europe, Trabzonspor was still not the destination many anticipated. For decades, clubs like Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, and Beşiktaş have dominated major transfer discussions in Turkish football. Salah himself was linked with several of these clubs in recent transfer windows, with reports suggesting Beşiktaş came close to a deal before financial negotiations stalled.
However, Trabzonspor offered something equally valuable: a central role. The club may not have the global recognition of its Istanbul counterparts, but it is one of Turkey’s successful teams, having won seven league titles, including the Super Lig in 2021-22, and the Turkish Cup last season. They are also entering a season with realistic ambitions of returning to European group-stage football.
For Salah, another attraction is the opportunity to be the central figure around whom the club’s sporting and commercial ambitions can be built, rather than being one among many established stars. This was evident even before his arrival in Trabzon, as numerous supporters gathered to welcome what is considered the biggest signing in the club’s history.
Despite his age, Salah’s recent performances indicate he still has much to offer beyond his reputation. His final season at Liverpool was complicated by a strained relationship with head coach Arne Slot. Even so, Salah concluded that season with 12 goals across all competitions.
The previous year, he had a strong individual campaign, scoring 34 goals and providing 23 assists as Liverpool won the Premier League. He then carried this form into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping Egypt reach the knockout stages. Trabzonspor is expected to deploy Salah in his familiar right-sided attacking role, allowing him to cut inside onto his stronger left foot and remain a focal point of the team’s attack.
This transfer also reflects a shift in the Turkish league, which has increasingly become a destination for established international players who believe they can still contribute at a high level. Players such as Victor Osimhen, Leroy Sané, İlkay Gündoğan, Nathan Aké, and Leandro Trossard are now playing in Turkey. Trabzonspor already includes players like André Onana, Ruslan Malinovskyi, and Stefan Savić in its squad.
Former Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack, who spent the past two seasons in Turkey, believes Salah’s arrival will draw more international attention to the competition. Jack noted that Liverpool fans and those who enjoy watching Salah will likely start following the league. He also mentioned that his own family and friends began watching games when he moved there, as they previously knew little about Turkish football. Jack believes Salah’s move will encourage more people to watch the league, highlighting its growing reputation and strength, with more prominent names joining each year.
Salah could have chosen a league with greater commercial rewards or a brighter global spotlight. Instead, he opted for a club that offers European football, an ambitious sporting project, and the chance to remain central to its plans. This outcome may not have been widely anticipated when he left Liverpool, but when viewed through these priorities, Trabzonspor appears to be a less surprising destination. Salah will earn around $19.5 million per season and receive 20% of the revenue from merchandise bearing his name, as confirmed in a filing to the Turkish stock exchange.
Source: aljazeera.com
