Historic deal... Salah in Trabzon

Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah, who became a free agent following his departure from English club Liverpool, arrived in Istanbul yesterday en route to joining Turkish side Trabzonspor. The 34-year-old player landed at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport yesterday afternoon, where he was greeted outside the terminal by hundreds of club supporters who had gathered to welcome him, according to France Press (AFP) correspondents.

Abdel Karim Yervan, a Trabzonspor fan, told AFP near a banner describing the Egyptian star as a “gift from God”: “I came straight from work; I work nights, and I’m ready to spend another sleepless night for Mohamed Salah.”

Trabzonspor had previously posted on the platform X: “Salah mode activated,” accompanied by images of the player aboard a private jet wearing the team’s blue and maroon jersey. The club, based in the northeastern Turkish city of Trabzon and qualified for the UEFA Europa League play-offs, announced the day before that it had begun “negotiations” with the Egyptian star, who left Liverpool after nine seasons, during which he won the same number of titles with “the Reds.”

Salah underwent a medical examination in Istanbul before heading to the city of Trabzon later yesterday. The right winger is set to sign a two-year contract, with an option to extend for an additional season, and will earn an annual salary of 17 million euros, according to several Turkish media outlets.

Trabzonspor, last crowned Turkish champions in 2022, is the only club from the Anatolian region to have successfully competed against Istanbul’s major clubs: Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, and Beşiktaş.

Salah holds a legendary status with the Egyptian national team, having scored 68 goals in 121 international appearances and helping the team reach the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. He also left a historic mark at Liverpool, scoring 257 goals and providing 123 assists in 442 matches across all competitions. Salah joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017, winning two Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League trophy with the club.

Despite the “Egyptian King,” as he is known in England, delivering a performance below his usual standard in his final season, his popularity has not waned, either in Liverpool or in Egypt.

**Number 61 on Salah’s Jersey**

In a notable move, Mohamed Salah made his debut wearing Trabzonspor’s jersey with the number 61, an exceptional gesture through the number displayed on his shirt.

Number 61 is the official traffic code for Trabzon Province. It is the number that precedes license plate numbers according to Turkey’s provincial numbering system (which comprises 81 provinces), a system implemented in the 1960s. Over the years, this number has become part of the cultural identity of Trabzon residents, particularly since it is the provincial capital. The number appears in various aspects of daily life in Trabzon, such as store and company names, and is used by some locals in their social media handles, and even occasionally on the stands of Trabzonspor.

In Trabzon, the number 61 is viewed as a symbol of pride and belonging, not merely as an administrative code. It has not yet been confirmed whether the number 61 was specifically chosen for Salah’s jersey with Trabzon, although many players have previously worn this iconic number for the club.