Former Liverpool winger Mo Salah arrived in Turkey on Wednesday ahead of signing a two-year contract with Trabzonspor. A crowd of 25,000 supporters greeted the Egyptian at Trabzon airport, letting off flares and rolling out a red carpet for the most high-profile addition in the club's history.
Salah left Liverpool this summer one year into his two-year contract extension, following a fallout with manager Arne Slot at Anfield last term. The winger, who is the third-highest goalscorer in Reds history with 255 goals, announced his decision to leave in March but did not engage in talks with teams before the end of the season out of respect for the Merseyside club.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher criticized the move on the Football Ramble podcast, arguing that Salah is too good for the Turkish league. Carragher said he expected Salah to remain in top European football or join a Serie A club such as AC Milan or Juventus at the San Siro.
"I never believed he was going to go to Saudi, because number one, he's too good for that. I think he can be playing in Serie A. Turkey for me feels a level too low," Carragher said. He added that Salah shares a drive similar to Cristiano Ronaldo, stating, "He's like Ronaldo, he's so driven, his numbers mean so much to him. I thought, he can still do this in Turkey by the way, but I thought he'd want to play at a real prestigious club."
Carragher suggested that wage demands may have discouraged some suitors and noted that Salah could have lowered his terms to stay in Europe's major competitions. "Obviously his wage demands have put a few people off but I thought he might almost curb those demands a little bit to almost get a better club," Carragher said. "To go to an AC Milan or Juventus or whoever it may be, play at the San Siro, still playing in big games, still playing in Europe. Turkey just feels like... I just think he's better than that."
Airport Welcome and Fan Reactions
Adorned in Trabzonspor gear with a team scarf around his neck, Salah smiled broadly as supporters celebrated into the night. Addressing the crowd, Salah expressed delight at the reception.
"I honestly can't even remember if I've seen something like this before. I'm very happy to be here. There are 25,000 fans, it's UNBELIEVABLE!" Salah said. "I'm incredibly happy to be in this incredible atmosphere. Have I seen something like this before... I honestly can't remember. Seeing this kind of love and attention makes me so happy."
Salah promised to bring success to his new team both domestically and in European competition. "I'll work very hard to achieve success in the league and in Europe. Because I've won successes at every club I'joined. I've always been a successful footballer. And that's what I'll do here too," he added.
Flight Details and Negotiation History
Earlier on Wednesday, Salah was pictured aboard a private jet wearing a Trabzonspor shirt featuring his name and the number 61, a symbol associated with the club and city. The jet departed Mykonos Airport at around 10:30am, while fans gathered outside Ataturk Airport ahead of his arrival.
Trabzonspor announced travel details on Tuesday night to their 1.9 million followers on X and offered supporters a paid live stream of his flight. Turkish rivals Besiktas were initially the Egyptian's first choice, but negotiations stalled last week before Trabzonspor revealed active talks.
Squad Context and Transfer Background
Speculation over Salah's future had previously focused on Saudi Arabia after Al-Ittihad submitted a £150 million bid in the summer of 2023. However, the winger chose Trabzonspor, who finished third in the league last season behind Fenerbahce and champions Galatasaray.
Trabzonspor have won their domestic title seven times in their history. Upon completing his contract, Salah will link up with Manchester United loanee Andre Onana and former Manchester City defender Stefan Savic.
