Salah’s transfer is the latest indication that Turkish football is increasingly attracting established stars.
High-profile players such as Victor Osimhen, Leroy Sané, Ilkay Gündogan, Nathan Aké and Leandro Trossard now feature in the Super Lig, while Trabzonspor already include Andre Onana, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Stefan Savić in their squad.
Last summer, the Super Lig posted the world’s third-highest net transfer spend, behind only the Premier League and the Saudi Pro League, underscoring the division’s growing ambition.
The financial dynamics behind that investment are unusual.
Turkey’s top clubs bring in substantial euro revenues from UEFA competitions, while many domestic expenses are still paid in Turkish lira.
A prolonged bout of high inflation has also reduced the real value of existing domestic debt, giving clubs more flexibility than might be immediately apparent.
Financially, that allowed Trabzonspor to put an appealing offer on the table for Salah.
Reports in Turkey say he has agreed a deal running to June 2028 worth about £7.3m per season—less than he was said to be able to earn in Saudi Arabia—along with bonuses and a share of merchandise revenue linked to his name.
The upshot is a league that can provide competitive salaries, passionate supporters and European football to players in the later stages of their careers.
Jack believes the league’s profile keeps rising.
“Each year the league gets stronger and you see more and more big names arriving,” he said.
“Salah is probably the most prominent player to move to Turkey in recent years. It shows the league is growing and could persuade other top talents to follow. The stadiums are excellent, the cities are great, and it’s a competitive league.”
His own experience backed that up.
“I loved it,” Jack added. “People help you settle quickly and are really friendly. When foreign players arrive, the clubs do everything they can to support them.”