After months of speculation, Mohamed Salah’s next destination has finally been confirmed.

The Liverpool legend agreed a two-year deal, external with Turkish side Trabzonspor on Thursday following the expiry of his contract at Anfield, bringing an end to one of the most successful careers in Premier League history.

The move has surprised many.

For years, Saudi Pro League clubs pursued Salah, while Major League Soccer was also viewed as a realistic destination for one of world football’s biggest stars. Instead, the 34-year-old has remained in Europe by joining Trabzonspor, a club better known for upsetting Turkey’s established order than dominating it.

So why has Salah chosen Trabzonspor, and what can both player and club expect from one another?

Staying in Europe remained the priority

Money alone does not explain Salah’s decision. Saudi Arabian clubs had long identified the Egyptian as one of their priority targets, with Al-Ittihad even making a late approach, while Sporting Kansas City were among the MLS clubs interested in bringing him to the United States.

Both destinations could have offered enormous monetary rewards. Instead, Salah opted to stick with European football.

He will be very well paid in Turkey. In a posting to the Turkish stock exchange, Trabzonspor confirmed he will be paid £14.5m per season and will receive a 20% share of revenue from Salah-branded merchandise.

Trabzonspor finished third in last season’s Super Lig and will compete in this month’s Europa League play-offs. Victory over two legs would see them qualify for the league phase, while defeat would send them into the Conference League.

For a player who helped Egypt reach the knockout stages of this summer’s World Cup and produced one of the finest campaigns of his career in 2024-25, continuing to compete in Uefa competition appears to have carried significant weight.

Why Trabzonspor?

If Salah was determined to stay in Europe, Trabzonspor might not have been the obvious choice.

Turkey’s traditional powerhouses are Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas, with most of the country’s biggest-name arrivals historically choosing one of the Istanbul giants.

Besiktas did attempt to sign Salah before negotiations collapsed over the financial structure of the deal, opening the door for Trabzonspor.

Although they lack the global profile of Turkey’s biggest clubs, Trabzonspor are far from outsiders.

They are seven-time Turkish champions, won the Super Lig as recently as 2021-22 and lifted last season’s Turkish Cup.

Fatih Tekke’s side also finished third in the league, earning another opportunity to qualify for European competition.

Salah instantly becomes the biggest signing in the club’s history. The excitement surrounding his arrival underlined that status as hundreds of supporters gathered to welcome him before he travelled on to Trabzon.

Former Scotland midfielder Ryan Jack, who won the Scottish Premiership with Rangers in 2021, has spent the last two seasons playing in Turkey. He was not surprised by the scenes.

“That’s one thing about Turkish football – the fans are incredibly passionate,” he told BBC Sport. “The big clubs have huge support and they really get behind their teams.”

During his unveiling, he briefly wore a symbolic number 61 shirt in tribute to the city, with the number representing Trabzon’s vehicle registration code and holding special significance among supporters, who traditionally celebrate the 61st minute of matches.

However, for the 2026-27 season, Salah will wear the number 10 shirt after requesting the number he also wears for Egypt. Team-mate Ernest Muci agreed to relinquish the jersey as a gesture of respect for the club’s marquee signing.

Why Turkey continues to attract elite players

Salah’s move is the latest sign of Turkish football’s growing appeal to established stars.

Victor Osimhen, Leroy Sane, Ilkay Gundogan, Nathan Ake and Leandro Trossard are among the high-profile names now playing in the Super Lig, while Andre Onana, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Stefan Savic are already part of Trabzonspor’s squad.

Last summer, the Super Lig recorded the third-highest net transfer spend in world football behind only the Premier League and Saudi Pro League, highlighting the league’s increasing ambition.

The economics behind that spending are unusual.

Turkey’s biggest clubs generate substantial income in euros through Uefa competition while many domestic operating costs remain in Turkish lira.

The country’s prolonged period of high inflation has also reduced the relative value of existing domestic debt, giving clubs greater flexibility than might initially appear.

Financially, Trabzonspor were therefore able to present Salah with an attractive package.

Reports in Turkey say he has signed a two-year contract until June 2028 worth around £7.3m per season, below the salary he could reportedly have earned in Saudi Arabia, with additional bonuses and a share of merchandise revenue linked to his name.

The result is a league capable of offering competitive salaries, passionate fanbases and European football to players entering the latter stages of their careers.

Jack believes the competition’s profile is continuing to rise.

“The league is getting stronger every year and you’re seeing more and more big names joining,” he said.

“Salah is probably the biggest name to move to Turkey in recent years. It shows the league is growing and it might persuade other top players to consider going there. There are great stadiums, great cities and it’s a competitive league.”

His own experience reinforced that impression.

“I loved it,” Jack added. “Everyone helps you settle in and the people are really friendly. When foreign players arrive, the clubs do everything they can to help them.”

Is the standard high enough?

Despite attracting recognisable names, the Super Lig is some way below Europe’s elite competitions.

Opta currently ranks it as the 14th strongest domestic league in world football, behind top-flights in countries such as Denmark, Poland and even England’s Championship.

Turkish clubs have also found sustained European success difficult to achieve.

Since Galatasaray won the Uefa Cup in 2000, only one Turkish side has reached the semi-finals of a major Uefa competition, illustrating the gap that still exists between Turkey’s biggest clubs and Europe’s established powers.

For Salah, however, the move represents a compromise. Rather than stepping away from European football he will continue playing continental competition while competing in one of the most fervent environments.

Can Salah still perform at the highest level?

Age suggests Salah is entering the twilight of his career, but there is evidence he still has plenty to offer.

He inspired Egypt to the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup, contributing one goal and two assists in five appearances.

His final season at Liverpool proved more difficult as the defending Premier League champions slipped to fifth place amid a disappointing campaign.

Salah scored 12 goals across all competitions after falling out of favour under Arne Slot.

Only a year earlier, he had delivered one of the best individual campaigns of his career, scoring 34 goals and registering 23 assists in all competitions as Liverpool lifted the Premier League title.

Even allowing for his decline last season, few players arriving in Turkey possess anything close to Salah’s pedigree.

Trabzonspor are expected to build their attack around him immediately.

Fatih Tekke’s side typically operate in a 4-2-3-1, with Salah expected to occupy his familiar position on the right wing, cutting inside onto his stronger left foot in the role that made him one of Europe’s most prolific forwards.

Tekke can also switch to a 4-3-3 without majorly altering Salah’s responsibilities, leaving the Egyptian as the focal point of the club’s attacking threat.

His competitive debut could come on 15 August when Trabzonspor open their Super Lig campaign away to Kasimpasa, before attention quickly turns to a Europa League play-off against either Hungary’s Ferencvaros or Poland’s Gornik Zabrze.

A statement signing

For Trabzonspor, the transfer extends far beyond what Salah might produce on the pitch.

His arrival immediately raises the club’s global profile, boosts commercial opportunities and provides one of the most marketable footballers of the modern era.

Jack also believes Salah’s arrival will increase international interest in the Turkish game.

“I think Liverpool fans, and people who love watching Salah, will definitely take notice and start following the league,” he said.

“When I moved there, my family and friends started watching games because they didn’t really know much about Turkish football before. Salah’s move will make people sit up and watch more of the league.”

Meanwhile, for Salah, the move offers something perhaps more valuable than another lucrative contract.

He remains in Europe, has the chance to compete for domestic honours and European football, and becomes the undisputed figurehead of one of Turkey’s most historic clubs.

It may not have been the destination many expected, but for both player and club, Trabzonspor represents an opportunity to begin an ambitious new chapter. (BBC)

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