Hafid Derradji Critiques Salah’s Trabzonspor Move: “What a Shame”
Mohamed Salah’s first steps in Turkish football have already sparked a storm of opinion, and one of the loudest voices belongs to Algerian commentator Hafid Derradji.
The veteran broadcaster did not hide his disappointment at the Egyptian’s decision to join Trabzonspor, arguing that a player who spent years terrorising defences in the Premier League should still be operating at the very highest level in Europe.
On Facebook, Derradji summed up his reaction in three loaded words: “What a shame.” For him, Salah’s choice is not about money, popularity or comfort. It is about technical ambition and the level of challenge a player of his stature should still be chasing.
“He could have stayed at the top”
Derradji insisted Salah had enough left in the tank to compete for several more seasons at the summit of the European game. After everything the forward achieved with Liverpool, the Algerian believes the bar has been set too high for a move like this to make sense from a purely footballing perspective.
In his view, if Salah was determined to move to Turkey, the destination should have been one of the Istanbul powerhouses. Derradji pointed directly at Galatasaray and Fenerbahce as the kind of “giant” clubs that would have offered fiercer competition, a heavier shirt and a stronger presence on the European stage.
The implication was clear: the spotlight and pressure at those clubs would have better matched the competitive environment Salah grew used to at Anfield.
Respect for Trabzonspor, but doubts about the fit
Derradji did not dismiss Trabzonspor as a minor stop on the map. He acknowledged the club’s serious financial backing and deep popularity, especially within Turkey. The Black Sea side carry weight domestically and retain a passionate fanbase that can turn their home ground into a cauldron.
Yet, for all that, he argued that the move falls short of the technical level Salah’s Liverpool years demand. In his eyes, the Egyptian’s status as one of the global game’s biggest stars sits awkwardly with a club that, while respected, does not consistently operate in the same European orbit as the continent’s elite.
The comments landed right after Salah’s debut. He came off the bench in the 59th minute of Trabzonspor’s opening league match of the season, a 1-1 draw against Kasimpasa. The new No. 11 shirt was on his back, but the scrutiny was already on his choice rather than his touches.
Criticism of the decision, not the player
For all the sharpness of his words, Derradji made one thing clear: in his mind, Salah has not faded. The criticism is aimed at the path, not the performer.
He stressed that the Egyptian forward still shines as a top-level footballer, still carries the aura built at Liverpool, and still has the tools to influence big matches. The frustration, from Derradji’s perspective, comes from a belief that Salah could have picked a destination that pushed him harder and kept him closer to the game’s cutting edge.
The transfer itself has drawn huge attention. Salah remains a headline name after his dramatic, trophy-laden years in England, and every move he makes now is dissected by fans, pundits and former professionals across continents.
Derradji has simply added a sharper edge to that conversation, raising a question that will follow Salah into every game in Turkey: did one of the modern era’s great forwards just choose comfort over the fiercest possible stage, or will he bend this new chapter to his will and prove the doubters wrong?
