Mohamed Salah deal drives Trabzonspor season-ticket sales surge as club denies state funding

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan says the signing of Mohamed Salah generated almost 550m Turkish lira (£11.5m) in season-ticket sales within three days, while firmly rejecting claims that the club received government money to fund the deal.

Speaking to Turkish broadcaster HT Spor, Dogan said the figure covered season-ticket income alone and did not include sales of shirts bearing the Egypt international’s name. Those shirt sales have not yet been fully calculated.

Dogan said the season-ticket revenue had already covered more than half of the annual cost of Salah’s contract. Trabzonspor’s target is to sell 25,000 season tickets, which the club believes would cover the agreement in full.

The president described the response from supporters as far greater and faster than the club had anticipated. He said Trabzonspor’s fans had been hoping for the arrival of a player of Salah’s stature, while the coaching staff had also been waiting for a signing of that level.

“We knew how much our fans wanted a major signing, but we did not expect this scale or speed of reaction,” Dogan said, while thanking the supporters who “did not let us down”.

The financial impact of the move has come shortly after Trabzonspor announced Salah’s arrival on a free transfer. The Egypt forward has signed a two-year contract, with the deal confirmed at the end of last week and described as one of the club’s most significant recent moves.

Trabzonspor denies government backing

Dogan also issued a categorical denial that any public funding had been used to complete the transfer.

He said the club’s accounts had received “not a single lira” from any government body in connection with Salah’s signing. Claims that Trabzonspor had received state financial support were described by Dogan as “a big and unethical lie”.

The president challenged anyone making the allegations to produce evidence to support them.

Dogan also addressed reports circulating on social media that Salah’s wages had been subject to a legal seizure. He said such action was impossible under the law and confirmed that Trabzonspor had begun legal proceedings against those responsible for publishing the claims.

The club has made a formal complaint against the sources of the reports, according to Dogan. He criticised the fact that the allegations had also been repeated by major media organisations and television channels, saying this had damaged the image of Turkish football.

The president’s comments came as the club highlighted the immediate commercial response to Salah’s arrival. Trabzonspor has not yet completed its assessment of merchandise sales, meaning the total financial effect of the transfer remains unknown.

For now, the club’s season-ticket figures provide the clearest indication of the enthusiasm surrounding the signing, with nearly 550m Turkish lira generated during the first three days after the announcement.