On the night before Trabzonspor marked its 59th anniversary, a truck fitted with three massive LED screens displayed exactly what the club’s faithful were yearning to celebrate. One screen showed a fanciful video of Mohamed Salah being unveiled, while the other two looped highlights of the Egyptian star’s most memorable goals and moments.
Fans gathered around the vehicle, almost as if praying for a divine confirmation of what they already believed: despite the club president Ertuğrul Doğan’s public denials, the record‑breaking forward belonged to them. Throughout the weekend, Doğan repeatedly used variations of "no" or "nothing" to stress that no agreement had been reached with Egypt’s captain. Yet his statements failed to convince the supporters, who continued to parade banners bearing Salah’s likeness across the city. Their reaction, combined with Doğan’s measured professionalism, foreshadowed the historic transfer that would later be announced on a Tuesday – the biggest blockbuster in Turkish football history.
Unlike their Istanbul rivals Beşiktaş, who also entered talks with Salah, Trabzonspor chose a low‑key, respectful approach. The club’s hierarchy worked behind the scenes, with Doğan hinting on Saturday that handling a high‑profile case required a certain decorum.
Beşiktaş, on the other hand, repeatedly fed the media with rumors of interest, apparently trying to pressure Salah into accepting a deal by suggesting it was already done, even though there was still a gap in consensus. When the news finally broke, Salah’s business partner Ramy Abbas took to X (formerly Twitter) to counter Beşiktaş’s narrative, effectively ending the Istanbul side’s campaign. Their sporting director, Önder Özent, responded with a series of extravagant demands, underscoring the club’s unwillingness to meet the financial package required for a player of Salah’s stature.
Salah is more than just a world‑class footballer; he is a commercial and cultural powerhouse who has dominated the global stage for over a decade. While many clubs would love to secure his signature, few are prepared to meet the price tag that accompanies such a package. For Beşiktaş, the attempt offered PR benefits – they appeared ambitious and bold – but they ultimately fell short of the monetary reality. Trabzonspor, by contrast, secured a transformative signing that they believe will propel them toward the league title and establish them as a European contender.
The reaction to Salah’s choice of club has been mixed. Some fans view it as a sign that his career is winding down, while others feel the move is underwhelming compared to expectations.
These opinions often stem from external projections of what Salah "should" do rather than his own personal aspirations at this stage. Salah had originally envisioned ending his career at Liverpool, a club his family considered home. When circumstances forced an emotional departure, he set very specific criteria for his next destination: he wanted to stay in Europe, join an ambitious team that would give him a leading role, enjoy a passionate fan base, and live in a city where his family could feel comfortable and unrestricted. Having lived in Switzerland, Italy and England, Salah was eager for a fresh experience.
Returning to the Premier League was off the table, and after successful spells at Fiorentina and Roma, Serie A no longer held the allure it once did for him. Financially, the Saudi Pro League and several MLS clubs presented more lucrative offers, but those packages did not align with the personal factors that mattered most to him. Trabzonspor ticked the essential boxes.
Their handling of negotiations gave Salah confidence that the Black Sea‑side club could provide exactly what he needed at this point in his career. After more than two decades of sacrifices—starting his professional journey at age twelve and constantly weighing the broader impact of his decisions—Salah finally felt he could prioritize his own wishes. To understand his path, one must look back to the aftermath of the 2012 Port Said Stadium disaster, which claimed 74 lives and halted Egyptian football. In February 2012, Georg Heitz, the sporting director of FC Basel during its golden era, received an email titled "please look at this player" with a short video attached.
The clip featured a lean, explosive winger set to Fort Minor’s "Remember the Name," and Heitz instantly recognized that Salah did not need any cinematic enhancement – his talent was self‑evident. Heitz alerted Basel’s chief scout Ruedi Zbinden, who had already flagged Salah in the club’s recruitment database. Roberto Crausaz, Basel’s South‑America scout, had recently returned from the U‑20 World Cup in Colombia and, despite it being outside his usual territory, submitted a comprehensive report on the Egyptian forward.
Crausaz recalled being impressed by Salah’s speed, unpredictability, and fearless dribbling, noting that such qualities cannot be taught – a player either possesses them or not. Basel’s interest was met with skepticism from Egyptian clubs, which are notoriously hard to negotiate with. When Basel proposed an initial €1.2 million fee to Al Mokawloon, the Egyptian side pretended to accept but actually intended to stall and inflate the price.
After a series of tense negotiations, including a live‑TV interview where Salah publicly challenged Al Mokawloon’s valuation, the club finally settled on a €1.8 million deal with a 25 % sell‑on clause. On 10 April 2012, a 19‑year‑old Salah signed a four‑year contract with Basel, choosing the number 22 shirt as a tribute to his idol, Mohamed Aboutrika, who had retired after the Port Said tragedy.
This symbolic gesture reflected not only admiration but also the weight of responsibility Salah felt to carry forward the hopes of Egyptian football. Six years later, in a Premier League Origins feature, Salah reflected on his journey, emphasizing the difficulty Egyptian players face in reaching and sustaining top‑level performance. He said his time at Basel taught him that changing the narrative was possible, and that he wanted to inspire countless youngsters in Egypt to dream big. That inspiration has now come full circle.
After a career filled with remarkable achievements, Salah has finally taken a step that aligns with his personal priorities, joining Trabzonspor – a club that respected his wishes, offered a genuine role, and promised a supportive environment for his family. The move may surprise some, but it perfectly encapsulates a player who, after years of self‑less dedication, is finally putting himself first.