Ankara, Aug. 5 (SANA) Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday ahead of an expected move to Turkish Super Lig club Trabzonspor, receiving a major welcome from the club’s supporters.
Trabzonspor announced on Tuesday that it had opened talks to sign Salah, with club president Ertugrul Dogan expressing hope that the deal could be completed this week.
Salah traveled to Türkiye on a private jet and wore a Trabzonspor shirt bearing the number 61, the code associated with the city of Trabzon. In a video shared by the club on social media, he addressed supporters in English, saying: “Trabzon, are you ready? I can hear you.”
He then added in Turkish: “For us, everywhere is Trabzon,” referring to a slogan used by the club’s fans.
A large crowd gathered at the airport to welcome Salah, who left under heavy security to undergo medical examinations.
Trabzonspor said on Tuesday that negotiations had begun over the transfer of the “professional football player Mohamed Salah,” but no contract signing date had been confirmed. Dogan said the announcement could come on Thursday.
Salah left Liverpool this summer after nine years at the club, where he scored 257 goals in 442 appearances and won two Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League trophy.
The Egyptian enjoyed a standout 2024-25 Premier League season, scoring 29 goals and providing 18 assists in 38 matches. He was named Premier League Player of the Season, won the Golden Boot and the Playmaker Award, becoming the first player to claim all three honors in a single season.
His form declined last season, however, with Salah scoring seven goals and providing seven assists in 27 league appearances. He also lost his starting place in some Champions League matches, leading to a public disagreement with former Liverpool manager Arne Slot.
The 34-year-old began his European career with Swiss club Basel in 2012 before joining Chelsea. He later played for Fiorentina and Roma before moving to Liverpool in 2017.
Trabzonspor finished third in the Turkish Super Lig last season and will enter the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League.
The club is regarded as one of Türkiye’s biggest teams, alongside Istanbul rivals Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş.
Salah had also been close to joining Beşiktaş, but Turkish media reported that talks broke down over financial demands and image rights issues.
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