After departing Liverpool this summer as a free agent, 34-year-old Mohamed Salah has signed for Turkish club Trabzonspor. The Egyptian star received a rousing welcome from thousands of supporters upon arriving in Istanbul on Wednesday, with fans gathering outside the airport to greet their new marquee signing. Salah will now be formally unveiled by Trabzonspor at the club’s 41,000-capacity Papara Park stadium, where another huge reception awaits the Egyptian star.
Mohamed Salah arrived smiling at an Istanbul airport on Wednesday wearing Trabzonspor’s burgundy and blue kit ahead of his expected move to the Turkish top-tier side from Liverpool, as hundreds of fans jostled to get a glimpse of the Egyptian forward.
Trabzonspor TSPOR.IS announced a day earlier they were in negotiations with Salah and club chairman Ertugrul Dogan said they expected to sign the 34-year-old on a free transfer at a ceremony in the Black Sea city on Thursday.
“Trabzon, are you ready? I can hear you. See you very soon,” Salah said in a video posted by the club on X.
“Everywhere is Trabzon to us,” he added while wearing a Trabzonspor kit, referring to the club’s motto.
Mohamed Salah’s Trabzonspor Contract Details:
Salah has signed a two-year contract running until August 2028. He will earn a reported €17 million net per season, which makes him the highest-paid player in the history of the Turkish league.
Beyond the base salary, Salah’s representatives negotiated a 20% to 25% share of his jersey sales. The club also accommodated a special request from his camp to pay a portion of his salary in advance.
Why Did Salah Choose Jersey No. 61 Instead Of 11?
For nearly a decade at Liverpool, Salah was synonymous with the number 11. However, the photos of his new kit showed the number 61 printed across his back. The answer to this unexpected change is rooted in the local identity of his new club. The number 61 is the province code for Trabzon in the Turkish vehicle registration plate system, and it stands as a historical symbol of belonging for the city. It is integrated into local shop names and social media handles, and any Trabzonspor shirt bearing 61 holds a revered place in the hearts of the supporters. By voluntarily selecting this number, Salah forged a symbolic bond with the city from the moment he arrived.
Why Did Deal With Besiktas Collapse?
Before Trabzonspor swooped in, Salah was linked with a move to Istanbul giants Besiktas. The two parties had reportedly reached a verbal agreement on a 1+1-year contract. However, negotiations hit a wall when it came to the financial specifics and image rights. Besiktas’s director of professional football, Onder Ozen, publicly stated that the club would not increase their financial offer to meet Salah’s demands, prioritising the club’s financial stability over landing the marquee signing. When those talks stalled and were eventually shelved, Trabzonspor moved to table their record-breaking €17 million per year offer, prompting Salah to rethink his destination.
(With inputs from Reuters)
