Sports News

Salah signs for Trabzonspor: €17m a year and a stadium full of flares

Mohamed Salah has signed a two-year contract with Turkish club Trabzonspor and was presented to thousands of fans on Thursday, a day after he arrived in Istanbul. The Guardian, citing the club's announcement to the Turkish stock exchange, reported that the 34-year-old will earn €17m (£14.5m) a season, plus 20% of sales of products with his name and conditional bonuses.

Gulf News described the ceremony at Papara Park in Trabzon: red flares, a laser show with Salah's image and a lap of honour. He took the No 10 shirt, and the paper called it the biggest transfer in the club's history, reportedly beating interest from the Saudi Pro League, MLS and Turkey's big three.

“I am here to win.” — Mohamed Salah, via Gulf News

Al Jazeera, using Reuters, focused on how he left Liverpool. He scored 257 goals in 442 games there and won eight major honours, but said in March that he would leave after a poor season with only 12 goals and a public falling-out with then-coach Arne Slot. Trabzonspor, seven-time Turkish champions, finished third last season.

How each outlet framed it

• The Guardian — the deal: salary, merchandise share and the club's place in Turkish football.
• Gulf News — the welcome and the rivals Trabzonspor beat to him.
• Al Jazeera (Reuters) — the end of a Liverpool great's nine years in England.

What happened next: in his first start for Trabzonspor later in August, Salah scored twice and had two more goals disallowed, Al Jazeera reported.