Salah Is Scoring in Turkey. Trabzonspor Are Still Searching.

Mohamed Salah’s new club is Trabzonspor, who announced his signing on August 6. His first weeks in Turkey have produced goals, but no smooth team take-off.

He scored twice in the 2–1 league victory over İstanbul Başakşehir on August 23. On August 31, he scored again at Amedspor, only for Trabzonspor to lose 2–1 after taking the lead. That leaves Salah with three league goals and his side with one win from three league matches.

Europe has also brought a setback. Ferencváros eliminated Trabzonspor from Europa League qualifying, winning the second leg 4–0 after taking the first 1–0. Trabzonspor dropped into the Conference League.

The useful distinction is between the signing and the side. Salah is already contributing to the scoreline. His team still has to convert that contribution into control and points. One player can improve the finishing; he cannot, by reputation alone, organize everything that happens before and after the goal.

As of September 3: an encouraging individual start inside an uneven collective one. The next measure is whether Trabzonspor can protect the leads their headline signing is helping them build.