Mohamed Salah has begun a new chapter of his career after being greeted by hundreds of ecstatic supporters upon touching down in Turkey, ahead of his anticipated move to Trabzonspor. The Egyptian forward, wearing the club's claret and sky blue colours, arrived at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport on Wednesday to scenes reminiscent of a celebrity homecoming, with fans crowding outside to catch a glimpse of their new star.
The 34-year-old departed Liverpool at the end of last season as a free agent, bringing to a close a nine-year spell on Merseyside during which he scored 257 goals. That stint yielded extraordinary success, including two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups. Salah also claimed the Premier League Golden Boot four times and was named the PFA Player of the Year on three occasions - in 2018, 2022 and 2025.
Despite that pedigree, his final season at Anfield was complicated by a reported fallout with then-Liverpool head coach Arne Slot, which saw his playing time reduced. This came after a stellar 2024-25 campaign in which he contributed 29 goals and 18 assists as Liverpool won the title. Notably, in April 2025 Salah had signed a deal reportedly worth £400,000 a week, making him the club's highest earner in its history.
His departure from Liverpool, confirmed a year before his contract extension was due to expire, triggered widespread speculation over his next destination. Salah first appeared close to joining Turkish rivals Besiktas, but that move reportedly collapsed over financial terms. Trabzonspor instead emerged as the club to secure his signature, capitalising on his free-agent status to allocate a larger share of their budget toward his wages, though the exact figures remain undisclosed.
Before the deal was finalised, Trabzonspor stoked anticipation on social media, posting a video referencing the Pyramids alongside footage of their Papara Park stadium, before confirming that talks with Salah were under way. The club also shared updates allowing fans to track his flight into Istanbul, contributing to the sizeable crowd that assembled at the airport. Salah himself posted a video from aboard a private jet, saying,