Mohamed Salah is expected to take on a significant leadership role at Trabzonspor after completing his move to the Turkish club following nine seasons with Liverpool.
The Egyptian captain has signed a two-year contract with Trabzonspor, where he will continue his career in the Turkish league after leaving Liverpool at the end of last season.
Salah, who is 34, is expected to operate primarily on the right wing, the position in which he established himself as one of the leading players in European football during his time at Liverpool.
However, according to Turkish media reports, his responsibilities could extend well beyond his contribution with the ball.
Journalist Semih Durashi of Turkish network HT Spor described Salah as a “field coach”, suggesting that the experienced forward could become an important link between Trabzonspor manager Fatih Tekka and the players on the pitch.
Durashi said Salah’s experience at the highest level means he could understand instructions from the coaching staff and help communicate them to his team-mates during matches.
The arrival of the Egyptian is therefore expected to provide Trabzonspor with both an attacking threat and a source of leadership as they pursue domestic success.
Salah expected to retain right-wing role
Hasan Tuncel, another journalist from the same network, reported that Tekka is expected to give Salah responsibility for the right side of the attack.
That position has been central to Salah’s career at Liverpool, where he became particularly effective cutting in from the right and contributing goals and assists.
However, Tuncel did not rule out the possibility of Salah being used through the middle in certain matches.
The manager could change his position depending on the opposition and the needs of the team, giving Trabzonspor the flexibility to use the Egyptian in different attacking roles.
One factor behind that possibility is the presence of Nigerian striker Paul Onuachu.
Trabzonspor rely heavily on Onuachu as part of their attacking approach, and Salah could operate alongside him by providing passes, creating opportunities and making attacking runs into dangerous areas.
His own goalscoring ability would also give the team another source of threat.
Turkish journalist backs Salah to make an impact
Durashi believes Salah remains capable of performing at a high level despite his age.
The journalist rejected suggestions that the Egyptian’s performance level has fallen significantly, arguing that Salah still possesses the quality needed to make an impact in the Turkish league.
His extensive experience in major competitions is another factor expected to benefit Trabzonspor.
After spending nine seasons competing at the highest level with Liverpool, Salah arrives with considerable experience of European football and major matches.
Durashi also believes the Egyptian could still compete in the strongest European leagues, underlining his view that the player’s move to Turkey should not be interpreted as evidence that his career is in decline.
Instead, he sees the transfer as an indication that Salah is seeking a different challenge.
Trabzonspor targeting Turkish title
Salah’s move also gives him the opportunity to compete for trophies with a club that has ambitions of challenging at the top of Turkish football.
According to Durashi, Trabzonspor are among the leading contenders for the Turkish league title alongside Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.
The Egyptian’s arrival could therefore prove important as the club attempts to compete with its major rivals.
His experience of winning individual and team honours at Liverpool is expected to add another dimension to a squad aiming to challenge for domestic success.
Trabzonspor will also be able to use his versatility to create different attacking combinations.
The club can deploy him in his familiar position on the right, move him into a central role when necessary, or use his creativity to support Onuachu.
That variety could give Tekka several options when approaching different opponents.
A new chapter after Liverpool
Salah’s move brings an end to a nine-year spell at Liverpool, where he built a reputation as one of the most influential players of his generation.
After leaving Anfield at the conclusion of last season, the Egyptian opted for a new challenge in Turkey rather than continuing his career with the English club.
His two-year agreement with Trabzonspor now begins another stage of his career.
The club will be hoping that his experience at Liverpool, combined with his goalscoring and creative qualities, can help them challenge for major honours.
But Salah’s value to Trabzonspor is expected to extend beyond his statistics.
His ability to understand tactical instructions and communicate with team-mates could make him an influential figure within the dressing room and on the pitch.
That is why his expected role as a “field coach” could become just as important as his contribution in front of goal.
For Tekka, the challenge will be to maximise Salah’s qualities while finding the best way to combine him with Onuachu and the rest of the attack.
For Salah, meanwhile, the move represents an opportunity to demonstrate that his experience and quality remain valuable while taking on a fresh challenge in Turkish football.
