Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is poised to reunite with a former Reds teammate at Trabzonspor this week as Fabinho closes in on completing his transfer to the Turkish club.
The Brazilian midfielder, who spent half a decade at Anfield, will link up with his former Merseyside colleague after the pair developed a strong partnership during their time together in England. The Egypt international joined Liverpool 12 months before his Brazilian team-mate arrived from Monaco in 2019.
Having secured Champions League glory during his spell on Merseyside, the defensive midfielder departed Anfield two years ago to embark on a fresh adventure in the Saudi Pro League, with the Reds receiving a £40million fee from Al-Ittihad. The 31-year-old subsequently helped his new side clinch a domestic league and cup double during the most recent campaign before seeing his contract expire at the end of the season.
Following extended speculation regarding his next destination, it has now been verified that the Brazilian will continue his career in Turkey’s top flight. Trabzonspor released footage showing the former Monaco player dressed in their colours aboard a private aircraft.
He expressed knowledge that someone in Trabzon was waiting for him and confirmed he was traveling there.
Prior to completing the agreement, the player was observed in the Spanish capital, prompting conjecture about his future plans. Subsequent to Brazil’s elimination from the World Cup by Norway in the knockout phase, the ex-AS Monaco man made his way directly to Madrid to reunite with loved ones.
He explained that his contract with Al-Ittihad was ending, and he came to Madrid because his family members were in the city and they planned to stay for a while. He added that after the World Cup concluded, he was uncertain about his next steps, so they chose to come to be closer to their family in Spain, noting that the city was pleasant and they would spend time there.
When questioned about potentially joining Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho, the player who secured six significant trophies during his Liverpool career under Klopp described Real Madrid as an incredible club that every player would want to play for, calling them the world’s top team.
The South American completed five campaigns at Anfield, lifting every major trophy available, including the Premier League and Champions League honours.
During his stint in Saudi Arabia, the 31-year-old made 111 appearances for Al-Ittihad, capturing the Saudi Cup and the league championship in the 2024/25 term.