Mohamed Salah: Why Liverpool legend is making a surprise switch to Trabzonspor

On the eve of Trabzonspor's 59th anniversary celebrations, a truck equipped with three large LED screens reflected what those with allegiances to the club were really desperate to toast to. 

One of the monitors displayed a video of an imagined Mohamed Salah unveiling, sandwiched by two others looping a reel of the Egyptian's most iconic goals and moments.

Supporters stopped to pray at the truck for the divine decree of what they'd already convinced themselves of; the record-breaking forward was theirs despite the protestations of club president Ertuğrul Doğan.

He had used a variation of 'no' or 'nothing' nine times over the weekend to press home the fact Trabzonspor had yet to reach an agreement with Egypt's captain, but the message was not being double ticked.

All around the city, fans were not fazed; they continued to show off their banners adorned with Salah's face. Their reaction, but also the professionalism of Doğan, tells part of the story of how Trabzonspor were able to announce the biggest blockbuster transfer in Turkish football history on Tuesday.

Unlike Besiktas, who were also in negotiations with Salah, they did not play everything out in the press. Trabzonspor worked quietly and respectfully to finalise an agreement, with Doğan even indicating on Saturday there is a manner in which you have to handle such a high-profile situation.

Besiktas, meanwhile, had repeatedly fed information about their interest and talks. It was suspected they used the media to pressurise Salah into accepting their proposal by announcing it was a done deal, despite there being a distance in consensus.

The news had to be countered on X by his business partner, Ramy Abbas. It was game over for Besiktas, but their sporting director Önder Özent, instead deflected to crazy demands.

They were not the first club to want the benefits of Salah - a commercial and cultural behemoth who has also been one of the best players in the world over the past decade - but be unwilling to pay what that package is worth.