Trabzonspor president Ertuğrul Dogan revealed how the Black Sea club secured Mohamed Salah after nine seasons at Liverpool. Despite interest from Saudi Arabia and the US, Salah chose the Turkish side after Dogan pitched the city's unique fan culture: "You'll feel the genuine love those people have inside them."

The deal includes a €17m annual salary plus 20% of name-branded merchandise revenue. Dogan said nearly 70% of that wage was covered by season ticket sales within days of the announcement, pushing expected sales past 30,000 — well above the initial 25,000 target. Major sponsors have since approached the club.

Negotiations moved quickly once rival Turkish clubs withdrew, concluding in five to six days via Zoom while Salah holidayed in Mykonos. The club balances star power with youth development, recently selling Christ Inao Oulai to Fiorentina and Felipe Augusto to Zenit for large profits, while retaining Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana on loan from Manchester United.

Coach Fatih Tekke, who led Trabzonspor to last season's Turkish Cup, now aims to reach the Europa League despite a 1-0 first-leg deficit to Ferencvaros. Dogan envisions Trabzon becoming a global destination for talent, blending emerging players with experienced professionals like Salah to elevate the club's profile worldwide.