Mohamed Salah has been warned that he must now deliver performances worthy of the incredible welcome he received after joining Turkish club Trabzonspor. The warning comes from his former Chelsea teammate John Obi Mikel, who spent a season with the Black Sea club late in his own career.
Salah's Liverpool legacy and surprise move
The Egyptian winger ended his Liverpool career three months ago after nine seasons at Anfield, where he won eight major trophies, including two Premier League titles and the Champions League, scoring 257 goals. Many expected a big-money move to Saudi Arabia or interest from the MLS, but he instead joined the Turkish Super Lig outfit.
The 34-year-old received a hero's welcome on arrival, first at Trabzon airport, then at the club's Papara Park Stadium, where he was officially unveiled before thousands of supporters.
Mikel's warning on fan expectations
Speaking to Turkish outlet Sabah, as cited by Soccernet.ng, Mikel said: “Trabzonspor is a really good club, the people live and breathe football. It's a football city.”
Mikel acknowledged that the club is known for welcoming new players at the airport, but said Salah's arrival was different. “But this time, it was different. It was thousands of people that came out to welcome Mo Salah, it was absolutely crazy,” he said.
He added a caveat: “The people in the city will worship you if you're playing well and winning games. They turn on you quickly, they don't care who you are or where you are from.”
Impact on Salah and Trabzonspor
Mikel expressed hope for Salah and his family, saying: “I hope it works out well for him and his family, that they feel comfortable and enjoy the city. Because one thing is for sure, if he keeps performing and playing well for that city, they would absolutely worship him.”
Salah's arrival is expected to benefit Trabzonspor striker Paul Onuachu, who finished last season as the Super Lig's joint top scorer with 22 goals. The former Reds No. 11 scored only seven Premier League goals last season, the only time in nine seasons at Anfield he failed to reach double figures, with his previous lowest tally being 18.
