Mohamed Salah received a hero's welcome in Türkiye on Wednesday as the Egyptian superstar moved a step closer to completing a blockbuster free transfer to Trabzonspor, a signing widely regarded as the biggest in the club's history and one of the most significant in Turkish football.
Hundreds of supporters packed Istanbul's Atatürk Airport General Aviation Terminal to greet the former Liverpool forward after he arrived aboard a private jet wearing Trabzonspor's iconic claret-and-sky-blue colors.
Fans chanted his name, waved club scarves and sang traditional songs as Salah acknowledged the crowd before leaving for medical examinations ahead of his expected unveiling in Trabzon on Thursday.
The 34-year-old appeared in a video released by the club while wearing his new jersey during the flight to Türkiye.
"Trabzon, are you ready? I can hear you. See you very soon," Salah said before ending with Trabzonspor's famous slogan, "Bize Her Yer Trabzon" ("Everywhere is Trabzon for us").
Turkish television later showed Salah arriving in Istanbul wearing a jersey bearing the No. 61, the license plate number of Trabzon province, although reports have also suggested he could ultimately wear his familiar No. 11 shirt.
Club chairman Ertuğrul Doğan said the official signing ceremony is expected to take place Thursday in the Black Sea city.
The transfer represents a remarkable coup for Trabzonspor after Salah became a free agent following the end of his Liverpool career.
Despite attracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubs, Major League Soccer teams and several European sides, the Turkish club moved decisively after negotiations with Beşiktaş reportedly collapsed over financial terms, image rights, merchandise revenue and agent commissions.
Trabzonspor formally announced the negotiations through Türkiye's Public Disclosure Platform (KAP), a move that immediately energized supporters and investors alike.
The club's shares climbed approximately 6.5% following the disclosure, underscoring the commercial impact of signing one of world football's biggest stars.
Multiple Turkish and international reports indicate Salah has agreed to a two-year contract through June 2028 worth around 17 million euros ($19.6 million) per season, with additional performance bonuses and a share of revenue from officially licensed merchandise bearing his name.
The agreement would make him the highest-paid player in Turkish football history.
The excitement surrounding Salah's arrival has spread far beyond the airport.
Trabzon has embraced the signing with a festival-like atmosphere as thousands of supporters prepare to welcome him to the city.
Social media has been flooded with messages celebrating the move, while demand for season tickets has surged.
Local reports indicate nearly 10,000 additional season tickets have been sold over the past two days outside supporter group allocations.
"I think Salah will achieve great things," supporter Yiğit Kanber said. "I hope he becomes the league's top scorer and leads us to the championship."
Another fan, Esma Cansu Bayraktar, described an emotional night before Salah's arrival.
"We were so excited we couldn't sleep," she said. "He is a global football icon, and I believe he will add even more value to Trabzon's growing international reputation. Coach Fatih Tekke has built a disciplined team, and I believe we can challenge for the title this season."
Supporter Hayati Turhan called the transfer "a huge gain for Trabzon, Trabzonspor and Türkiye," saying Salah's arrival would place the city in front of a worldwide audience.
Even 95-year-old supporter Hemdiye, affectionately known as "Grandma Hemdiye," shared the city's optimism.
"With this effort, we're getting closer to another trophy," she said. "We've signed good players, and this is the year we can become champions."
Salah leaves Liverpool after an extraordinary nine-year spell that cemented his place among the club's greatest players.
He scored 257 goals in 442 appearances, making him Liverpool's third-highest scorer of all time, while winning two Premier League titles, the Champions League, Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, two League Cups and the Community Shield.
His final season, however, proved challenging. Salah saw his playing time reduced, endured a public disagreement with then-manager Arne Slot and finished with 12 goals in all competitions after scoring 34 the previous campaign. He announced in March that he would leave despite having one year remaining on his contract, with both sides agreeing to end the deal early.
Rather than accepting lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia, Salah opted to remain in European football, where he will continue competing domestically and in UEFA competitions. Trabzonspor finished third in last season's Süper Lig to secure a place in the UEFA Europa League playoffs and view Salah as the centerpiece of an ambitious project under manager Fatih Tekke.
The transfer also adds another milestone to Trabzonspor's history.
Salah becomes the club's 207th foreign player since its foundation and only the fourth Egyptian to wear the Trabzonspor jersey after Ayman Abdelaziz, Sayed Moawad and Trezeguet. He is also the 37th foreign signing made since Doğan became club president in March 2023.
Trabzonspor have signed players from 54 different countries throughout their history, with Brazilians accounting for the largest foreign contingent at 18. Previous marquee arrivals included Daniel Sturridge and Nicolas Pepe, but none carried the global stature of Salah.
