The inside story of how Trabzonspor pulled off Salah deal

What the report says

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has described how the Turkish club secured one of the most surprising moves of the transfer window, bringing Mohamed Salah to the Black Sea city after his long spell at Liverpool. BBC Sport Football reports that Salah signed a two-year contract and was unveiled to a crowd of tens of thousands at Papara Park, despite expectations that he would head to Saudi Arabia or the United States.

Dogan said the club sold Salah on the appeal of Trabzon and its supporters, emphasizing the city’s football culture and the atmosphere fans created around the announcement. According to the BBC’s reporting, the deal had been discussed since the World Cup, with talks later moving quickly once other Turkish clubs stepped aside. The process included early Zoom meetings, then a medical in Istanbul, where officials wanted Salah to experience the scale of the welcome he could expect across Turkey.

The move is significant both competitively and commercially. Trabzonspor are not regular Champions League participants and have won the Turkish league only once in recent decades, so landing a global star of Salah’s stature is unusual. Dogan said the transfer would not bring a direct financial return in simple terms, but argued that the publicity, fan engagement and commercial interest it generated could benefit the club. BBC Sport Football also notes that Salah is expected to earn a reported €17m a year, plus merchandise terms, while the club believes season-ticket demand has surged.