Osimhen remains Turkey’s Highest-Paid Player despite Salah move

Victor Osimhen remains the highest-paid footballer in Turkey despite Mohamed Salah’s arrival at Trabzonspor, with the Galatasaray striker’s guaranteed annual package reportedly exceeding Salah’s fixed salary.

Victor Osimhen has retained his status as Turkey’s highest-paid footballer, despite Mohamed Salah completing a high-profile move to Trabzonspor.

Salah joined the Turkish club on a two-year contract after leaving Liverpool as a free agent, with the Egypt international reportedly earning a net €17 million per season in guaranteed salary.

That figure gives Salah one of the largest basic wages in Süper Lig history. However, Osimhen's overall guaranteed package at Galatasaray remains higher because of additional payments included in his contract.

Osimhen earns €21m in guaranteed annual income

Osimhen's Galatasaray contract runs until June 2029 and reportedly includes a €15 million net base salary. The Nigeria international also receives a €1 million annual loyalty bonus and a further €5 million image-rights payment each season.

Those additional components take his guaranteed annual earnings to approximately €21 million. That puts Osimhen €4 million ahead of Salah's reported €17 million fixed salary.

The distinction is important because Salah has the higher basic wage, but Osimhen's additional contractual payments give him the larger guaranteed package.

Salah has a different commercial arrangement

Salah's contract reportedly contains a different structure from Osimhen's.

Rather than receiving a fixed image-rights payment, the former Liverpool forward is set to receive 20 per cent of revenue generated from official Trabzonspor merchandise carrying his name.

That means Salah's eventual income could rise significantly if his arrival produces exceptional shirt sales and merchandise revenue.

However, according to the figures reported, the merchandise arrangement would need to generate more than €20 million in annual revenue for Salah's share alone to exceed Osimhen's €21 million guaranteed package.

That would require an enormous commercial return from Trabzonspor.

Salah becomes one of the Süper Lig's biggest stars

Salah's arrival represents a major coup for Trabzonspor and Turkish football. The 34-year-old spent nine years at Liverpool, establishing himself as one of the Premier League's most prolific forwards.

During his time at Anfield, he reportedly scored 255 goals in 435 appearances, while winning two Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League.

His global profile is expected to generate significant commercial interest for Trabzonspor, particularly through shirt sales and merchandise.

The club reportedly beat competition from Turkish rivals Beşiktaş to secure his signature, while Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad were also linked with a move for the Egyptian.

Osimhen still holds the overall salary crown

Despite Salah's higher basic wage, Osimhen remains ahead when the reported guaranteed components of both contracts are considered. The Nigerian striker's €21 million annual package means he currently sits above Salah's €17 million fixed salary.

Salah could potentially close the gap through his merchandise agreement, but that income is dependent on the commercial performance of products carrying his name.

For now, therefore, Osimhen remains Turkey's highest-paid footballer overall, while Salah holds the distinction of having the higher reported basic salary between the two African superstars.

What this means for Turkish football

The arrival of both players represents a significant increase in the global profile of the Süper Lig.

Osimhen has become one of Galatasaray's biggest stars following his blockbuster move to Istanbul, while Salah's decision to join Trabzonspor adds another globally recognised name to the Turkish league.

Their contrasting salary structures also illustrate how modern football contracts increasingly combine traditional wages with bonuses, image rights and commercial incentives.

For Osimhen, the figures reinforce the scale of Galatasaray's investment in the Super Eagles forward. For Salah, meanwhile, the merchandise clause gives him an opportunity to turn his enormous global popularity into an additional source of income.

Unless the Egyptian's commercial earnings become exceptionally high, Osimhen is expected to remain Turkey's highest-paid player despite Salah's arrival.

SportsLigue