Trabzonspor’s bold bid for Salah aims to close the gap to champions

Trabzonspor, which finished third in the Turkish Super Lig last season and remained eight points behind champions Galatasaray, announced on Tuesday that it has opened negotiations with free‑agent Mohamed Salah, the Salah Turkish forward, to bolster its attack for the upcoming season and strengthen its European campaign.

The club confirmed that Salah is expected to travel to Trabzon on Wednesday, indicating that negotiations could be wrapped up swiftly. No transfer fee has been disclosed as part of the discussions.

Trabzonspor is counted among Turkey’s traditional big four alongside Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş. The side finished third in the Super Lig last season, eight points adrift of champions Galatasaray, and secured a place in the Europa League playoff round beginning on August 20.

Salah, the Egyptian, became a free agent after he and Liverpool mutually agreed to terminate his contract early, ending a nine‑season spell with the Merseyside club. The termination leaves him free to explore new opportunities ahead of the new season.

During his time at Liverpool, Salah made 440 appearances, scoring 256 goals and providing 121 assists across all competitions. His haul includes two Premier League Player of the Season awards, two league titles, a Champions League trophy and two African Footballer of the Year honours.

If the deal materialises, Salah will add a proven goal‑scorer to Trabzonspor’s attacking options as they aim to improve on their third‑place finish and compete in Europe. For the Egyptian forward, the move would represent a new challenge in the Turkish Super Lig after a distinguished career in England.

The swift travel schedule suggests the club hopes to finalize the agreement before the start of pre‑season preparations. However, the lack of a disclosed fee means financial terms remain uncertain.