Why is Mohamed Salah signing for Trabzonspor? | OneFootball

Mohamed Salah has chosen his next club: Turkish side Trabzonspor.

The Liverpool icon, who left Anfield as a free agent at the end of last season, has arrived in Turkey ahead of the move and has been pictured by the club wearing the team’s colours ahead of signing his contract on Thursday. He will wear the number 61 shirt at his new club.

Salah is just two seasons removed from an outstanding Premier League campaign where he scored 29 goals and made 18 assists in 2024-25, so to see the 34-year-old end up in the Super Lig is somewhat surprising.

But the forward scored just seven league goals in his final season at Liverpool, with his minutes diminished amid a falling out with former Reds boss Arne Slot, so it also makes sense that Salah’s range of suitors was somewhat limited.

Still, the assumption was that Salah would have the pick of clubs from the Saudi Pro League or the MLS, or even an illustrious European side who could offer him the chance for a final campaign in the Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Salah’s former Liverpool team-mates Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are among the players to have joined Saudi sides after leaving Europe, while Lionel Messi and Son Heung Min are the biggest stars in the MLS.

Kevin De Bruyne, meanwhile, joined Italian side Napoli after leaving Manchester City.

The Turkish league is able to pull stars, too, but they tend to go to Istanbul giants Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas. Galatasaray boast Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sane, while this summer Fenerbahce and Besiktas have signed Nathan Ake from Manchester City and Leandro Trossard from Arsenal, respectively.

Trabzonspor, by contrast, are generally viewed as the fourth-biggest side in Turkey. Based in the city of Trabzon, on the Black Sea, Trabzonspor have been champions of Turkey seven times, with their most recent title coming in 2021-22.

Managed by former Turkey international Fatih Tekke, Trabzonspor finished third in Super Lig last season - behind champions Galatasaray and runners-up Fenerbahce.

They are yet to qualify for the Europa League league phase, and face a two-legged play-off this month – so European football is by no means a guarantee.

Mohamed Salah will sign a deal with Trabzonspor after arriving in Turkey (@Trabzonspor X/Twitter)

Should Salah sign for Trabzonspor, the Egypt captain would instantly become the club’s biggest signing. Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe are among their ex-players.

Their current squad includes on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, as well as a couple of Cape Verde’s World Cup stars: Wagner Pina and Sidny Lopes Cabral, who scored their stunning goal against Argentina.

As Salah is a free transfer, Trabzonspor would have been able to commit more of their transfer budget towards Salah’s wages. His last contract at Liverpool was enormous and reported to be worth £400,000 per week.

As one of the sport’s biggest global stars, Salah offers huge upside to Trabzonspor and their sponsors commercially. Trabzonspor’s main shirt sponsor, financial services company Papapa, also holds naming rights for their stadium.

Salah has been pictured wearing Trabzonspor’s colours and is set to arrive in the city on Wednesday before signing his contract. “Trabzon, are you ready? See you very soon,” he said in a video shot onboard a private jet and posted on social media.