Mohamed Salah has completed a move to Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor, signing a two-year deal on a free transfer following his exit from Liverpool. The move closes out a nine-year spell at Anfield after Salah and the club mutually agreed to terminate his contract a year early, cutting short terms that had only been signed in April 2025.
How Salah’s Liverpool Exit Came About
Salah’s departure followed a difficult final season on Merseyside that saw him dropped from the side and involved in a public disagreement with then-head coach Arne Slot. Despite that rocky ending, Salah leaves as one of the club’s greatest-ever players winning seven major trophies during his time there and finishing as Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer of all time, with 257 goals in 442 appearances.
Turkey Over Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabian clubs had long been considered Salah’s most likely next destination, particularly after a striking interview he gave following his benching at Leeds last season. Liverpool had famously turned down a £150 million offer for Salah from Saudi side Al Ittihad less than three years ago, underlining just how significant a switch to the Gulf would have been.
Why Trabzonspor Made Sense
Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol explained the move works well financially for Salah, with reports in Turkey suggesting he’ll earn around £15 million a year, aided by a favourable tax environment for professional footballers in the country. Beyond the financial picture, Trabzonspor offer Salah a competitive domestic league with passionate support, plus a realistic chance of European football next season given the club’s strong position to qualify for the Europa League. Solhekol noted the move ticks plenty of boxes for the 34-year-old despite him having other options available.
Carragher: “Turkey Feels a Level Too Low”
Not everyone was convinced by the destination. Pundit Jamie Carragher said he never expected Salah to head to Saudi Arabia, believing the forward was capable of competing in Serie A instead, and had personally anticipated a move to a club like AC Milan or Juventus. Carragher suggested Salah’s known wage demands may have priced him out of Italy’s biggest clubs, and while he acknowledged Salah could still perform well in Turkey, he felt a player as driven by numbers and prestige as Salah would have been better suited to a more high-profile European stage, still competing regularly in continental competition.
Quick Facts: Salah to Trabzonspor
- Deal: Free transfer, two-year contract
- Liverpool career: 257 goals in 442 appearances (9 years)
- Liverpool trophies won: 7 major honours
- All-time Liverpool goalscorer ranking: 3rd
- Reported salary at Trabzonspor: ~£15m/year
- Rejected Saudi bid (2023): £150m from Al Ittihad
