From Premier glory to Turkey: Salah’s unexpected Trabzonspor switch

Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah, former Liverpool star who dominated the Premier League and lifted the Champions League, has confirmed a move away from Europe’s elite leagues to Turkish side Trabzonspor, signing a new contract announced on Tuesday in a surprise shift.

Salah spent nine seasons at Liverpool, where he collected nine trophies including the 2019 Champions League and two Premier titles. He recorded 435 appearances, 255 goals and 122 assists, and was named Premier Player of the Year three times.

The Egyptian Pharaoh announced the agreement on Tuesday, confirming Salah’s new deal with Trabzonspor and signalling a dramatic change in his career path. The contract runs for two seasons with a salary of roughly €17 million per year.

Until the announcement, Salah was one of the few high‑profile players without a defined future. Media speculation linked him with a move to Major League Soccer or a transfer to Saudi Arabia, but no deal materialised.

Instead, he opted for Turkish football, a market expanding on the continent but still distant from the Premier, LaLiga, Serie A or Ligue 1. He will not wear the shirt of the Süper Lig’s traditional giants Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe or Beşiktaş, joining Trabzonspor instead.

The club staged a ceremony in Istanbul on Wednesday, surrounded by Egyptian pyramids and traditional music. After the event, Salah is expected to travel to the city of Trabzon later that afternoon.

Trabzonspor has agreed to pay approximately €17 million per season for two years. The team finished third in the Süper Lig, won the Turkish Cup and will compete in the Europa League in the 2026/27 campaign.

Internationally, Salah featured prominently for Egypt at the 2026 World Cup, playing five matches and 428 minutes, scoring once against New Zealand and providing two assists.