Salah’s arrival in Turkey
Mohamed Salah is set to join Turkish club Trabzonspor following his departure from Liverpool. The 34-year-old forward arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday, where he was met by hundreds of fans at Ataturk Airport. Salah, wearing Trabzonspor colours, engaged with the crowd upon his emergence. He had previously shared a video on social media stating, “Trabzon, are you ready? See you very soon,” while on a private jet.
The Turkish side had teased Salah’s arrival on social media on Tuesday night, showing pyramids next to Papara Park in a video. This was followed by a post confirming that “negotiations had begun” between Salah and Trabzonspor, and that his flight to Istanbul could be tracked. Salah’s flight tracking proved useful as a large number of supporters gathered to welcome him.
Salah’s transfer is considered a significant move for Trabzonspor. The club has asked supporters to attend a signing ceremony at Papara Park on Thursday at 17:30 BST, encouraging them to wear the new season’s shirts to “witness history.”
Career at Liverpool and move to Trabzonspor
Salah left Liverpool at the end of last season after a nine-year tenure on Merseyside. During his time with the club, he scored 257 goals in 442 games, making him the club’s third-highest goalscorer. He mutually agreed to terminate his contract a year early, which had been extended in April 2025.
His final season at Liverpool saw him score 29 goals and provide 18 assists in the 2024-25 title-winning campaign. However, his playing time reportedly decreased in the subsequent season after a disagreement with former Reds head coach Arne Slot. Salah helped Liverpool secure multiple trophies, including two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the Club World Cup, the Uefa Super Cup, the FA Cup, and two EFL Cups.
Individually, Salah 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. He is also noted for scoring 50 Champions League goals.
Salah’s move to Trabzonspor comes after reports of a potential agreement with another Turkish club, Besiktas, which reportedly fell through due to financial reasons. He was also a target for clubs in Saudi Arabia, with Liverpool having rejected a £150m offer from Saudi club Al Ittihad for him less than three years ago.
Impact and significance of the transfer
Trabzonspor, nicknamed the Black Sea Storm, will participate in European football next season, having finished third in the league, eight points behind champions Galatasaray. They will enter the Europa League play-offs, and if unsuccessful, will compete in the Conference League.
The club has won seven league titles, with six of these between 1976 and 1984, and their most recent in 2022, ending a 38-year wait. Based in the north-eastern city of Trabzon, they are one of only six teams to have won the Turkish Super Lig.
Salah’s signing is considered one of the biggest transfers in Turkish football history and a significant departure from Trabzonspor’s usual strategy of developing young players. The club’s current squad includes on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, and Cape Verde’s World Cup stars Wagner Pina and Sidny Lopes Cabral. Salah will join former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe at the club.
The transfer is expected to increase supporter engagement and shirt sales, potentially broadening Trabzonspor’s commercial appeal, particularly in the Middle East and among the Arab community in Trabzon. The club’s social media accounts showed Salah wearing a Trabzonspor shirt with the number 61, which is the area code for Trabzon and a symbol of the city. This choice has been noted for deepening his connection with the fans.
Source: bbc.com
