Salah arrives in Turkiye for Trabzonspor move after Liverpool exit

Mohamed Salah landed at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport on August 5, 2026, wearing Trabzonspor's burgundy and blue kit ahead of his anticipated transfer to the Turkish club. Hundreds of supporters gathered to welcome the Egyptian forward, who waved and led a traditional chant before heading to a medical examination and a later flight to Trabzon.

The club had announced on August 4, 2026, that it was in talks with Salah, who left Liverpool at the end of the previous season. Chairman Ertugrul Dogan said the 34-year-old was expected to sign on a free transfer during a ceremony in the Black Sea city on August 6, 2026. In a video posted by Trabzonspor on X, Salah said, "Trabzon, are you ready? I can hear you. See you very soon," and added, "Everywhere is Trabzon to us," referencing the club's motto.

Salah's move matters because it brings a high-profile star to the Turkish Super Lig after a storied career in England. He spent nine years at Liverpool, scoring 257 goals in 442 appearances, winning the Premier League twice and the Champions League once. In the 2024-25 season, he scored 29 league goals and provided 18 assists, equaling the record for most goal involvements in a single season and setting the mark for a 38-game campaign. He was named Premier League Player of the Season and won both the Golden Boot and the Playmaker Award, becoming the first player to claim all three in one season.

His output declined last season, with seven goals and seven assists in 27 league matches, and he was benched in Champions League games, leading to a public dispute with then-manager Arne Slot. Salah began his European career at Basel in 2012, later joining Chelsea, and had stints at Fiorentina and Roma before moving to Liverpool in 2017.

Trabzonspor, generally regarded as the fourth biggest club in Turkey behind Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, and Besiktas, finished third in the Super Lig last season and will enter the Europa League playoff round. Their last league title came in the 2021-22 season. According to local media, Salah had been close to joining Besiktas, but talks stalled over financial and image-rights demands.

Details of the contract Salah is expected to sign have not been disclosed. The club plans a signing ceremony on August 6, 2026, in Trabzon.