Mohamed Salah pictured in Trabzonspor shirt and set to wear No. 61 after arrival in Turkey
Mohamed Salah has decided to join Turkish club Trabzonspor and was photographed wearing the team's colours as he arrived in Turkey in images and video released on Wednesday by the club.
The 34-year-old forward left Liverpool as a free agent at the end of the previous season, bringing to an end a nine-year spell at Anfield. During his time at Liverpool he wore the No. 11 shirt, a detail that surprised many of his non-Turkish followers when his new choice emerged.
Photos and videos posted by the club showed Salah donning a Trabzonspor shirt with the number 61 on his back; he was even pictured wearing the club’s colours on the plane to Turkey. The imagery revealed that he will wear the No. 61 jersey at his new club. The club released those pictures and clips on Wednesday via its social media accounts.
The number 61 is the province code in Turkey’s vehicle registration system and serves as a historical sign for the city of Trabzon. Over time the numeral has developed into a symbol of local identity and community and appears in store names and social media accounts across the city. A Claret-Blue shirt bearing the number 61 holds a particular place among the club’s supporters.
Trabzonspor documented Salah’s arrival in a video clip in which he addressed fans directly. In that clip he asked, “Trabzon, are you ready? I’ll see you shortly. I’m here.” The club packaged the footage as part of the coverage of his journey to Turkey.
Salah had been linked to moves to Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer, and Besiktas — identified in reports as Trabzonspor’s league rivals — announced last week that they had made an offer. Those approaches were reported amid the broader transfer interest before his decision to join Trabzonspor.
Last season, Trabzonspor qualified for the UEFA Europa League by finishing third in the Turkish Super Lig.
As he prepared to finalise his move, Salah was preparing to sign his contract and go through his medical, with the number 61 visible on his back during those moments and in the images released by the club.
