Mohamed Salah is in Istanbul to undergo a medical and finalise a move to Trabzonspor after leaving Liverpool as a free agent following nine outstanding seasons at the Premier League club.
An agreement in principle has been reached for Salah to sign a two-year contract with the Turkish club. The deal is expected to pay the Egypt international about 17m euros (£14.7m) per year, according to journalist Nicolo Schira.
If completed, the contract would make Salah the highest-paid player in the history of the Super Lig. It is also understood to include provisions relating to image rights and a share of shirt sales.
Salah travelled to Istanbul for his medical before formally completing his move to Trabzonspor. The club has already published several photographs of the 33-year-old wearing its colours on social media, although the transfer remains subject to the final stages of the process.
The move follows the collapse of talks with Besiktas, who had been considered the leading contenders to sign Salah only a few days ago. Trabzonspor moved quickly to take advantage of the situation, as first reported exclusively by Africafoot.
Trabzonspor finished third last season and hope Salah’s experience and quality can help them challenge for the Turkish title and make an impact in European competition.
His arrival would represent a major sporting and commercial statement for the club, known as the Bordo-Mavi. Salah remains one of the most recognisable players in world football after his long and highly successful spell with Liverpool.
The forward’s estimated market value is 22m euros. During his time at Liverpool, Salah was reportedly paid an annual salary of 20,817,548 euros, equivalent to 13,531,406,200 FCFA.
Salah’s move marks the end of his nine-year association with Liverpool, where he established himself as one of the club’s leading players. His departure as a free agent has allowed Trabzonspor to pursue a deal that would otherwise have required a transfer fee, while the proposed salary and commercial clauses underline the scale of the commitment being made by the Turkish side.
The agreement with Trabzonspor is therefore close to completion, with the medical examination in Istanbul representing the next important step before Salah becomes an official player of the club.
