The Superstar of the Turkish Super League! Salah Arrives at Trabzonspor, a New Chapter for the "Egyptian Pharaoh" on the Black Sea

Written by Han Bing At 4:29 AM on August 5th, Trabzonspor Club (hereinafter referred to as Trabzonspor) posted a 17-second "teaser" on its social media account: after the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt looms into view, the Şenol Güneş Stadium and the Black Sea coast of Trabzonspor appear. No words or narration—everything is left unsaid. Salah, nicknamed the "Egyptian Pharaoh," departed yesterday on a private jet, and the Trabzonspor jersey he wore revealed his destination. As one of the most high-profile star transfers this summer, Salah's new club has been finalized.

After his contract with Liverpool expired this summer, Salah's future became one of the biggest mysteries of the summer transfer window. During the World Cup, Saudi Arabia, Major League Soccer, and the Turkish Super League all extended invitations to the Egyptian superstar. Saudi side Al-Ittihad and Turkish side Beşiktaş were the most eager, but the former, affected by Saudi Financial Fair Play regulations, could only offer an annual salary of 30 million euros, far below Salah's team's desired 40 million euros.

Beşiktaş had initially come closest to success, with Turkish media hinting at a personal agreement as early as mid-July. Salah still wanted to prove himself in Europe, and with Beşiktaş, he could also compete in the new season's Europa League. For this reason, Turkish media reported that Salah reduced his after-tax salary demand from 15 million euros to 10 million euros, plus an additional 2 million euros in performance-related bonuses. However, Salah's agent suddenly demanded a commission of up to 7.5 million euros, stalling the negotiations at the last moment. Although the demand later dropped to 5 million euros, Beşiktaş could not afford it.

On July 28th, Beşiktaş announced the termination of negotiations with Salah, and Trabzonspor president Doğan revealed that talks with Salah began at that very time. The negotiations lasted about 10 days but were already leaked by Turkish media on August 1st. Several major outlets even announced on August 2nd that the two sides had basically reached an agreement: Salah signed a two-year contract with Trabzonspor, with an after-tax annual salary of 17 million euros, plus a signing bonus of 5 million euros, the majority of which would be paid by the club's sponsors. Trabzonspor would sell Salah-themed jerseys and merchandise, and the Egyptian superstar would receive a 20%–25% commission.

Wearing the Trabzonspor No. 61 jersey, Salah recorded a "self-announcement" video on his private jet: "Trabzonspor, are you ready? I hear you. We'll meet soon. For me, everywhere is Trabzonspor."

At noon local time on August 5th, Salah arrived in Istanbul, and many Trabzonspor fans went to the airport to welcome him. Salah enthusiastically took photos with them. Although not yet officially signed, Doğan could not wait to declare the transfer complete: "It's a done deal. To ensure the transaction succeeded, we kept the details confidential. Regarding the sales commission, it's not as high as the media reported; we will announce the details at the appropriate time."

Salah will sign the contract after passing his medical examination, becoming the greatest signing in Trabzonspor's history. Salah also surpassed Osimhen (15 million euros) to become the highest-paid superstar in Turkish Super League history. Additionally, Salah's peak market value reached 150 million euros, also exceeding Osimhen's 120 million euros, making him the most expensive signing in Turkish Super League history.

Before Salah's departure, Trabzonspor fans had already rushed to the official store to buy jerseys with his name and number. Initially, people thought he would wear the No. 11, but Salah unexpectedly chose No. 61—the postal code and vehicle license plate number of Trabzonspor in Turkey, representing the city that went all out to sign him. The number 61 is ubiquitous on the streets of Trabzonspor, and Salah's choice was also a gesture of goodwill toward the fans.

Last season, Trabzonspor finished third in the Turkish Super League and will compete in the new season's Europa League. Nicknamed the "Black Sea Storm," they are the fourth biggest club in Turkey, behind only the Istanbul triumvirate. Salah's arrival has given the team the biggest star in the Turkish Super League, surpassing Galatasaray (Osimhen, Sané, Gündoğan), Fenerbahçe (Ederson, Kanté, Škriniar, Talisca), and Beşiktaş (Ndidi, Trossard).

Salah's transfer has boosted the attention of Trabzonspor and the entire Turkish Super League. The Egyptian has 68 million followers on social media, ranking seventh in the world, while the combined followers of the three traditional Turkish giants are only 37.4 million, and Trabzonspor's total across three platforms is just 5.2 million—only 1/13 of Salah's. In this era of football social media economics, Trabzonspor hopes Salah's massive fan base will bring huge revenue to the club.