Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah has completed a lucrative transfer to Turkish club Trabzonspor, headlining a major summer influx of international stars into the league.
Low tax rates fully borne by clubs have allowed Turkish Super Lig teams to pay tax-free salaries, turning the country into a major financial destination for top players similar to Saudi Arabia.
The financial terms offered by Turkish clubs, alongside packed stadiums and intense fan passion, have drawn several high-profile players to the league this summer.
Financial terms of Mohamed Salah deal
The 34-year-old forward joined Trabzonspor on a free transfer after spending nine years as a star player at English Premier League club Liverpool.
Salah signed a two-year contract that will pay him 17 million euros net for each season. His annual earnings consist of a 10 million euro salary and a 7 million euro yearly signing bonus.
In addition to his fixed compensation, the Egyptian international will receive 20 percent of all merchandising revenue generated using his name.
Trabzonspor investments and Cairo flights
Trabzonspor, who finished in third place in the Turkish league last season, have invested heavily ahead of the new campaign.
The club is sponsored by national carrier Turkish Airlines, which established a direct flight route between the coastal city of Trabzon and Cairo following Salah's arrival.
Before securing Salah, Trabzonspor spent 10 million euros to sign player Sidny Cabral from Portuguese side Benfica.
The club has also added Brazilian international midfielder Fabinho, who arrived from Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad.
Fenerbahce record transfer and Romelu Lukaku
Istanbul club Fenerbahce made their own major moves in the transfer market to challenge for the title.
Fenerbahce paid French club Marseille 39 million euros to sign 24-year-old English forward Mason Greenwood, setting a new club transfer record.
The club also secured Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, who previously played for Italian club Napoli. Lukaku will earn a clean annual salary of 10 million euros net.
Besiktas attack additions and Galatasaray squad
Besiktas, another historic club based in Istanbul, strengthened their attacking options with two major signings.
Belgian winger Leandro Trossard joined Besiktas from Premier League side Arsenal in a deal worth 18 million euros.
Besiktas also signed Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic on a free transfer. Vlahovic agreed to a contract running until 2029 that pays around 7.5 million euros net per season.
Reigning four-time consecutive league champions Galatasaray face increased competition after being relatively quiet in the market. Their most prominent arrival was Russian player Batrakov for 25 million euros, joining a squad that already features star players Victor Osimhen, Leroy Sane and Davinson Sanchez.
Rafael Leao transfer details to Galatasaray
Galatasaray are now very close to officially announcing the signing of Portuguese forward Rafael Leao from Italian club AC Milan, where he played under manager Ruben Amorim.
According to Turkish and Italian media reports, Leao accepted Galatasaray's contract proposal worth around 12 million euros net per season.
Galatasaray and AC Milan agreed on a transfer fee valued at approximately 40 million euros, with an additional 3 million euros structured in performance objectives.
If the transfer is completed, Leao will face Portuguese club Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League, as Galatasaray have been drawn against the Lisbon side in Europe's top club competition.
