Mohamed Salah ignited the passion of Trabzonspor's fans before he'd even put pen to paper. The Egypt captain touched down in Turkey on Wednesday to an unprecedented supporters' welcome, kicking off a deal set to make history for both the club and the Turkish league.
He landed first in Istanbul before heading to the city of Trabzon to complete the formalities of his official transfer. Thousands of fans packed Atatürk Airport to greet him, a scene that laid bare the anticipation surrounding the move. Salah lapped it up, responding to supporters who chanted his name and cheered him on. He delivered his first messages to them and made his first appearance in the club's shirt amid the celebrations, according to a video published by the Turkish newspaper Fotomac via its account on the X platform.
Fans are still waiting on the finer details. Trabzonspor are expected to announce the financial value of the contract and the date of the official presentation ceremony over the coming hours, while Turkish reports say the Egyptian star will sign a two-year deal.
Many rank Salah's transfer among the biggest in the history of the Turkish league, given the global standing the Egyptian star enjoys and the huge boost his arrival brings to the club's ambitions at home and on the European stage.