Why Did Mohamed Salah Choose Trabzonspor? Surprising Transfer Raises Questions in Turkey

Mohamed Salah has finalized his destination after leaving Liverpool, opting for a move to Trabzonspor in Turkey, in a deal that is surprising by all accounts, especially after his name had been linked in recent weeks with transfers to clubs in Major League Soccer or the Saudi league.

Mohamed Salah has signed a two-year contract after rejecting offers from several clubs, including teams in the United States and Saudi Arabia, opting to continue his career in Europe.

According to a report from The Athletic, Turkey appears to be the only European country whose clubs are willing to meet Salah's financial demands, despite Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe's reluctance to sign him.

Besiktas had entered advanced negotiations with the player, but ultimately could not meet his financial demands and those of his agent, Ramy Abbas. Thus, Trabzonspor became the next option, despite being the fourth largest club in Turkey behind Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, and Besiktas.

Reports indicate that Salah will receive an annual salary of approximately €17 million, along with €5 million in bonuses, as well as a significant percentage of his shirt sales.

His transfer to Trabzonspor is the largest deal in the club's history, and possibly one of the biggest transfers in Turkish football history, considering the player's stature and achievements during his career with Liverpool.

Salah arrived in Turkey after just one season in which he scored 29 goals in the Premier League during Liverpool's title-winning campaign, making his transfer to a club outside the top three in Turkey quite surprising.

The club currently sits third in last season's standings, which means participation in the Europa League rather than the Champions League.

Mohamed Salah will undoubtedly be the standout star of the team, alongside Nigerian striker Paul Onuachu and goalkeeper André Onana, who is on loan from Manchester United, in addition to players from the Cape Verde national team.

The relative calm that Trabzon enjoys compared to Istanbul may be another factor attracting Salah, especially since he has been living a relatively quiet life in the English countryside during his time with Liverpool.

His move to Turkey will bring him back to playing in a country with a Muslim majority, after spending nine years in England, although this factor is not believed to be the main reason behind his decision.

The key question remains: Is Turkey the end of Salah's journey or a chance for a European revival?

Strong figures, such as scoring 25 goals or more in the Turkish league, could give Salah a chance to convince a bigger European club to sign him again, but this scenario seems difficult considering his age and current path.

In the end, one of the most controversial transfer stories of the summer concluded in a way that many did not expect: Mohamed Salah is heading to Trabzonspor, not to Saudi Arabia or the United States, nor even to one of the major clubs in Istanbul.

Trabzonspor is the most successful Turkish club outside Istanbul, having won the Turkish league title seven times. However, most of these titles were secured in the 1970s and 1980s, with the exception of the 2022 title.