Mohamed Salah arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday to complete a transfer to Trabzonspor. Crowds of fans greeted the 34-year-old winger at Ataturk Airport after he travelled to Turkey on a private jet.
The Egyptian international flew from the Greek island of Mykonos, where he had been on holiday following his involvement in the World Cup in the US.
Salah was pictured on the aircraft wearing a Trabzonspor shirt. The jersey featured his name and the number 61, a figure regularly used as a symbol of the club and the city.
The Turkish club released a video of the player addressing supporters before his arrival.
"Trabzon are you ready, I can hear you," Salah said. "See you very soon."
Transfer negotiations
Salah is close to deciding his club future and is set to sign a two-year contract. He became a free agent after agreeing to tear up the final year of his Liverpool deal.
Trabzonspor announced their talks with Salah to their 1.9 million followers on X on Tuesday night. The club invited supporters to pay to join a live stream tracking his flight to Turkey.
"Public Announcement: Negotiations have begun regarding the transfer of professional footballer Mohamed Salah to our Club," the team wrote.
They followed up with a post outlining his travel schedule for Wednesday, August 5. His flight took off from Mykonos Airport at around 10.30am.
"Professional footballer Mohamed Salah, with whom we have begun transfer negotiations, will be at Istanbul Atatürk Airport General Aviation Terminal at 12:00," the club said. "The player is scheduled to arrive in Trabzon on the same day in the evening hours."
The team added that the time and other details for a welcome programme in Trabzon would be shared on official communication channels during the day. Trabzonspor also shared a 17-second artificial intelligence video showing a camera panning from pyramids over mountains to a view of their 41,000-seater stadium, Papara Park.
Liverpool departure
Salah's future has drawn huge interest since he announced his surprising decision to leave Liverpool in March. He departed one year into a two-year contract extension.
He fell out with manager Arne Slot at Anfield last term. Salah scored 10 goals last season, down from the 34 he scored when he spearheaded Liverpool's Premier League title win in the 2024 to 2025 campaign. That was Slot's first season in charge and Salah's second English title.
Many anticipated he would move to Saudi Arabia after Al-Ittihad made a £150 million bid in the summer of 2023. Turkish giants Besiktas were understood to be his first choice, but talks stalled last week.
Trabzonspor are now set to sign him. They finished third in the Turkish league last season, behind Fenerbahce and champions Galatasaray.
Anfield replacement
Salah leaves as the third-highest goalscorer in Liverpool history with 255 goals. The three-time Professional Footballers' Association Players' Player of the Year did not engage in talks with other teams before the end of the season out of respect for the Merseyside club.
His long-serving agent, Ramy Abbas, repeatedly insisted nothing had been decided and reaffirmed that stance during the World Cup. Talks accelerated with interested parties after Salah returned from the competition.
He is renowned for his remarkable professionalism and backs himself to remain at a high level deep into his thirties.
Liverpool have yet to replace him as the start of the season fast approaches. Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola remains the most likely high-profile attacking signing.
The 23-year-old is valued at £145 million. He plays predominantly on the left wing, and former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher recently warned against buying him as a replacement for Salah.
Record club signing
Trabzonspor fans gathered at Ataturk Airport to celebrate his arrival ahead of the new season. One supporter was seen kissing a tifo of Salah, and the player was seen conducting the crowds.
He would be the most high-profile signing in the history of Trabzonspor. If the expected move is confirmed, he will join Manchester United loanee Andre Onana and former Manchester City defender Stefan Savic.
The Turkish side has won their domestic title seven times.
