When it was announced that Mo Salah was going to be signing for Turkish Super Lig outfit Trabzonspor, football watchers could’ve been forgiven for being a little shocked.
The Egyptian King still has an awful lot to give the game, and the expectation might well have been that he would’ve signed for one of the big Italian teams as his next step, before finishing his career in Turkey or elsewhere, with respect.
Carragher can’t understand Salah‘s intentions
Former Liverpool ace Jamie Carragher certainly believed that such a trajectory would have been more befitting of the 34-year-old’s enviable talents.
“I was convinced he’d end up at an AC Milan or Juventus or somewhere like that, but maybe his wages were a problem,” he was quoted as saying once the news broke.
“He’s like Ronaldo, he’s so driven, his numbers mean so much to him. I thought he’d want to play at a real prestigious club, and I just think he’s better than that.”
Of course, a reported £363,000 per week salary after tax may well have had something to do with Salah’s decision.
Trabzonspor out to break dominance of Turkey’s big two
That said, Trabzonspor finished third last season as well as in 2023/24, so the thinking behind the move could also have had something to do with breaking the dominance of the big two in Turkey, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.
In the last three seasons, Trabzonspor have scored 69, 58 and 61 goals collectively in the Turkish top flight, and in two of those campaigns, the top two were netting 90+, so Salah’s goal output is clearly going to be valued.
