Mohamed Salah has agreed a deal with Turkish side Trabzonspor after terminating his contract early with Liverpool, and he could convince five of his former teammates to join him in Turkey.
The Egyptian winger ended his affiliation with the Reds this summer after nine years at Anfield. Salah was heavily linked with a number of Saudi Pro League clubs but prioritised remaining in Europe. It is understood that the 34-year-old will sign a two-year deal as he arrived to a huge fanfare at the local airport on Wednesday.
Potential Reunions
As Trabzonspor fans showed their excitement at Salah's impending announcement, the Egyptian could also help bring some of his former teammates to the club.
Darwin Nunez has been linked with a move to Turkey in recent weeks. The former Liverpool striker, who spent three seasons alongside Salah at Anfield, endured a tough season at Al-Hilal and made just 24 appearances in Saudi. Nunez was declared an ineligible squad player following the arrival of Karim Benzema and could be on the move again. A switch to Besiktas has been touted but Salah may work his magic to organise a reunion in Turkey.
Midfield Options
Wataru Endo is another strong option for the Turkish outfit. The defensive midfielder is in the final 12 months of his Liverpool deal and returned early from the World Cup to rehab his recurring foot injury. The 33-year-old is yet to make an appearance on the Reds' pre-season tour and could be available for a bargain price.
Stefan Bajcetic is another midfielder who has fallen out of favour due to injury setbacks. The 21-year-old was once one of Anfield's most promising young talents after joining from Celta Vigo's academy. Bajcetic has trained under Andoni Iraola during pre-season but has not made an appearance thus far. He did sign a contract extension in 2023, but it will expire next summer, leaving the Reds at risk of losing him for free in 12 months' time. Salah previously praised Bajcetic, dubbing him Liverpool's "best player" during a Merseyside derby win three years ago. He said: "He's a great player and person, he always tries to work hard. Since he started playing for us, he has been our best player maybe so hopefully he keeps that confidence and keeps going."
Wingers and Defenders
Federico Chiesa has been strongly linked with a departure from Anfield in recent months due to a lack of game time. The Italian winger made 26 Premier League appearances last season with 25 of them coming off the bench. Chiesa has starred for Iraola during their pre-season preparations, scoring once in a 4-2 win over Sunderland. A number of clubs have been linked with the 28-year-old after he told La Gazzetta dello Sport in June: "If I don't find consistency in the Premier League, I'll have to look elsewhere." Chiesa insists he is "happy at Liverpool" under Iraola but may opt for a move elsewhere if he doesn't make the starting XI this campaign.
Kostas Tsimikas is another Red with just 12 months left on his current deal. The Greek defender spent last season on loan to Roma but failed to impress in Italy. He has since returned to Liverpool and managed 157 minutes so far during pre-season friendlies. However, Tsimikas still appears to be the backup left-back at Anfield, with Milos Kerkez favoured over the Greece international.
