Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club Trabzonspor this week, causing a stir on social media across the country.
Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club Trabzonspor this week, causing a stir on social media across the country.
It is reported that the 'Egyptian King' will receive a transfer bonus of 5 million euros ($5.6 million USD) and a guaranteed annual salary of 17 million euros ($19.6 million USD), totaling 39 million euros ($45 million USD). Media also indicates that he will receive a 20% share of future jersey sales bearing his name. The club Trabzonspor has not publicly commented on the details of the deal.
Salah arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday morning wearing a Trabzonspor jersey with his name and number 10. In a pre-recorded video shot aboard his private jet, he repeated the club's motto: 'For us, everywhere is Trabzon.'
Later, he was met by a large crowd of Trabzonspor fans in Istanbul, where he joined the fans in songs and slogans. Some fans chanted takbir, calling upon God's name, as he left the airport. Fans chanted: 'Ya Allah, Bismillah (in the name of God), Mohamed Salah.'
Trabzonspor is the fourth-largest football club in Turkey and is based in the Black Sea province that gives it its name. The club officially announced the transfer on Tuesday through an official statement. It also published a short animation depicting a giant pyramid near the Black Sea, surrounded by extensive forest.
Trabzon is particularly popular among tourists from Gulf and Arab countries in the summer due to its lush green hills and impressive natural landscapes.
Salah's arrival in Turkey attracted the attention of fans of rival clubs. A Galatasaray fan was spotted at the meeting ceremony but later had to remove his jersey. During a live broadcast involving Beşiktaş fans, one fan was clearly heard shouting: 'Salah has arrived!' and celebrating the news.
The excitement surrounding Salah began several days earlier amid rumors that Trabzonspor was negotiating his transfer. Earlier this week, a truck displaying videos and memes featuring the footballer drove through Trabzon.
This transfer was widely seen as a surprise after Salah's successful nine-year career at Liverpool. He had been a free agent since leaving the club in the summer. Since joining Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, the Egyptian star has scored 257 goals in 442 matches and won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups, the FIFA World Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup, cementing his status as a club legend.
The architects of such a significant transfer have also become a subject of discussion. Some commentators pointed to Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is also from Trabzon. Others named former Minister of Transport Adil Karaismailoğlu. There were also widespread speculations about how this acquisition was financed. Many social media users suggested that the deal became possible thanks to sponsorships from the Turkish electric vehicle manufacturer Togg, Turkish Airlines, and the telecommunications provider Turkcell. Salah is expected to fly to Trabzon later that day.
The Istanbul club Galatasaray is showing interest in the transfer of Bruno Fernandes. The 'Red Devils' are ready to fully meet the team captain's salary demands.
The Turkish club Galatasaray aims to sign Bruno Fernandes, the midfielder from Manchester United. According to information from Transfer News Live HT Spor, the Istanbul club is prepared to fully comply with the captain's requirements regarding his salary.
Currently, the Portuguese footballer earns over 300 thousand pounds sterling weekly (which exceeds 350 thousand euros). The 31-year-old player's contract with Manchester United expires next summer, but the agreement also includes an automatic extension for another year.
According to the Transfermarkt portal, Bruno Fernandes' market value is 35 million euros. The Portuguese midfielder has been playing for Manchester United since January 2020.
Turkish media reported on Sunday evening about the potential transfer of Egyptian star Mohamed Salah to Turkish club Besiktas during the current summer transfer window.
The Turkish newspaper Milliyet confirmed that Besiktas president Serdal Adali met with Salah's agent Rami Abbas in Istanbul last week to continue negotiations and finalize the deal under the most favorable conditions.
According to the newspaper's report, an agreement was reached regarding an annual salary of 12 million euros for the Egyptian player, a two-year contract, and a commission of five million euros for Abbas.
It was noted that Abbas's demand for a commission of 35 percent of the two-year contract caused dissatisfaction among Adali. However, after intense discussions, Abbas reduced his request from 7.5 million euros to five million.
Thus, there are no more obstacles to the official completion of Salah's transfer to Besiktas in the current summer transfer window. It is expected that Salah will officially sign a new contract with Besiktas in the coming days.
Previously, Besiktas had already reached an agreement with the Egyptian star on all contract terms. Furthermore, Salah conducted video calls with the club president Adali, head coach Vincenzo Italiano, and football director Onder Ozen, during which he expressed his willingness to move to Istanbul.
It should be noted that Salah left Liverpool FC at the end of last season, having spent nine seasons with the club.
