Mohamed Salah is being considered for Turkish citizenship and a state medal after making a strong early impact at Trabzonspor.
The Egypt international is reportedly set to receive citizenship alongside his family, while he is also being tipped for the State Medal for Distinguished Service. The proposed honour would recognise his contribution to the development of sport and tourism in Turkey.
The claims were made by Mohamed Kaoud, a journalist with BBC Arabic, only a few months after Salah joined the Turkish club.
Salah left Liverpool during the summer transfer window and has quickly become one of the most prominent figures in the Super Lig. He has scored eight goals and supplied three assists in 10 league appearances for Trabzonspor.
His most notable performance came in September, when he scored a hat-trick against Galatasaray. That display helped establish him as one of the biggest attractions in the Turkish championship.
The 34-year-old’s influence has also been felt beyond his performances on the pitch. Trabzonspor have seen a significant rise in their social media following since his arrival, while his transfer is also reported to have strengthened links between Egypt and the city of Trabzon.
Those connections include the introduction of new direct flight routes from Cairo, which have been cited as another consequence of Salah’s move to Turkey.
Salah joined Trabzonspor as a free agent after leaving Liverpool. He agreed a two-season contract with the club and remains under contract until June 2028. His current market value is listed at 17m euros by Transfermarkt.
If the proposed distinctions are confirmed, they would underline the scale of Salah’s growing profile in Turkey, where his arrival has already had an impact extending beyond football.
Trabzonspor are next scheduled to face Freiburg in the third matchday of the league phase of the Conference League.