Persuading one of football's biggest stars to join your club is no small feat — but Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has revealed exactly how he managed to bring Mohamed Salah to Turkey.

Speaking to BBC Sport Africa, Dogan said he leaned on the raw passion of the club's supporters to sell the Turkish side to the Egyptian forward. Rather than relying solely on financial incentives, Dogan made the case that Trabzonspor offered something deeper: a fanbase capable of moving any player.

That said, the financial package was considerable. Salah is set to earn €17 million per year at his new club — a figure that underlines just how serious Trabzonspor were about landing one of the sport's most recognisable names.

Yet Dogan insists the deal was not driven purely by money. In his account of the negotiations, the club president painted a picture of a transfer built as much on emotion and ambition as on economics. He described using the supporters' intensity and loyalty as a genuine selling point during talks with Salah's camp.

The move marks a significant moment both for Salah and for Turkish football. The former Liverpool star's arrival in the Süper Lig raises the profile of the league considerably, and Trabzonspor will hope that his presence on the pitch translates into trophies and renewed continental ambitions.

For Salah, the transfer represents a new chapter after his celebrated years in England. How he adapts to life in Turkey — and whether the passionate support Dogan promised lives up to the billing — remains to be seen.