How Trabzonspor shocked Turkish rivals to make Mohamed Salah their Black Sea saviour

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I t began with a text sent during the World Cup. Ertugrul Dogan, the president of Trabzonspor, was watching Egypt when he picked up his phone and messaged his manager, Fatih Tekke. “Coach,” it read. “Do you want Mohamed Salah?” Tekke’s response was immediate enthusiasm, though Trabzonspor’s initial push for Salah went under the radar. For weeks, Besiktas looked most likely to land the former Liverpool striker. In Turkish football, Istanbul’s Big Three – Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas – hav