It is official. After nine extraordinary years at Anfield, Mohamed Salah has signed a two-year deal with Turkish Super Lig club Trabzonspor. The move — which few could have predicted even twelve months ago — brings the curtain down on one of the most remarkable chapters in Premier League history.
Salah left Liverpool by mutual consent earlier in 2026, several months before his contract was due to expire. The relationship between him and manager Arne Slot had reportedly become strained, with the Egyptian king dropped on several occasions before the two parties agreed to go their separate ways.
A Liverpool Legend Departs
The numbers alone tell only part of the story. In 442 games for Liverpool, Salah scored 257 goals — making him the club's third-highest scorer of all time. He won the Premier League title, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and multiple other honours. He was the best player in the world on two or three occasions. He made Anfield his home, and Anfield made him a legend.
For a generation of supporters, there was simply nobody like him. The way he moved, the way he finished, the calm in front of goal when the pressure was at its most intense — it was a privilege to watch. And that is not something that will fade quickly in the memory.
Why Trabzonspor?
The choice of Trabzonspor raised eyebrows initially, but there is a logic to it. The Turkish Super Lig has grown significantly in recent years, and Trabzonspor are one of the country's most ambitious and well-supported clubs. For a player of Salah's profile, the move offers a reduced physical load at thirty-four, a genuine competitive environment, and a chance to do what he has always done — score goals and make a difference.
There are also commercial and personal factors at play. Salah has spoken in the past about his desire to play in the Arab world before retiring, and Trabzonspor could serve as a stepping stone, or equally as the final chapter in a playing career that needs no further justification.
What Liverpool Do Next
For Liverpool, the challenge now is to prove that they can win major honours without their greatest modern-era player. It was always going to come, and the club would argue they have planned carefully. But replacing Salah's goals — year after year, season after season — is not something that can be done overnight.
The 2026/27 season will tell us a great deal about where Liverpool go from here. Whether they've replaced the irreplaceable, or whether the gap he has left is even bigger than anyone anticipated.
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