Mohamed Salah has been questioned after confirming his transfer move to Trabzonspor, with lots of people surprised that he has ended up in the Turkish Super Lig
Mohamed Salah in World Cup action for Egypt.
Mohamed Salah in World Cup action for Egypt.(Image: Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders has been left staggered by Mohamed Salah's transfer move to Trabzonspor, which was confirmed earlier today.
Leaving the Reds at the end of the season, Salah was of interest to the likes of Besiktas and Al Ittihad, and at one stage had a level of interest from Italy, but the Egyptian has chosen to join the team who finished third in the Super Lig last term. Should it progress in the qualifiers, it will play in the Europa League during the 2026/27 campaign.
But not everyone is as impressed with the move as the excited Trabzonspor fans who have gathered at Istanbul airport to give him a warm welcome.
"I'm stunned," Saunders said on talkSPORT. "What has Mo Salah done? This is no disrespect, because I went to Galatasaray. Turkey, my son was born there.
"I had a great time in Turkey and they are all enthusiastic, nice people. Trabzonspor are a big club in Turkey, but why on earth has Mo Salah left Liverpool to go there?
"Without sounding like I'm criticizing Trabzon, I am finding it hard to believe. Why didn't he stay at Liverpool? I honestly thought he would be going to Saudi Arabia."
Mohamed Salah sends a message to Trabzonspor supporters ahead of the Liverpool legend's move to Turkey
Mohamed Salah sends a message to Trabzonspor supporters ahead of the Liverpool legend's move to Turkey(Image: Trabzonspor)
Salah could have stayed at Liverpool for another 12 months as his contract was in place until 2027, but it was mutually agreed that this was the right time for him to move on.
The campaign just gone was comfortably his worst at Anfield, with Liverpool only just squeezing into the Champions League spots.
"There was mitigating circumstances in his season last season," Saunders insisted. "It wasn't all down to him. He lost most of his supply from Trent; his disguised passing got Salah in on goal.
"He's played with eight different right-backs last season. Luis Diaz used to cross it for him and he's gone.
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"The team is struggling and we used to say, 'Imagine what would happen if Liverpool didn't have Mo Salah'. Well, we've seen it last year and look what happened."
Liverpool.com says: It is an odd move for Salah in lots of ways, though he and his representative will be getting weighed in. This move allows him to earn a lot and also remain in Europe.
Jamie Carragher made the point that Salah could have taken a pay cut and gone to a more prestigious team, in Italy for example. His choice, though, has been confirmed.